Ah...the last day of the year. Wonder what thoughts there are out there. Some will be reflecting on the year gone by (and what lovely reflections these are), others will be planning tonight's party wardrobe and some will just be bumming around, being immune to time. I hope that for all my friends out there, today will be a bit of all 3 - we need our memories - both the good and bad ones, a little of the present (the wardrobe?! and friends and family) and well, the sense of preserving ourselves for the future. What I mean is, may we all change for the better but not resolve to change so much. Oh I know about New Year's resolutions - don't they never work...because we bum around not really bothering to change them. I guess that while time flies by (less than 24 hrs to 2006 & counting) we don't change with the year. For those who still keep up the tradition of making resolutions, kudos to you. May urs be practiced daily. Guess I envy those who can and do make their resolutions reality and at the same time be amazed how improving themselves don't make them any diff - it's like being new and improved while keeping the old functions. It's what u say to old friends I suppose.
Yesterday, I went to Jusco in JB. It was my 1st shopping trip to M'asia. Hah. That makes me a real Singaporean then doesn't it, getting into the nation's hobby? Some will say I'm mad - where've you been ALL those years? You've ONLY started shopping in JB NOW??? Well..."there" wasn't remarkably interesting (like Giant or Carrefour lor) and neither was "back again" (you can see Senoko Power Station!) The most interesting bit would have to be "between" - the electric cables overhead, the marshy river mouth with white egrets and fishing boats, the kampungs, the grungy streets intersected by vast green emptiness. I imagine that would have been what Singapore would look like if we had the physical space. Yup, JB is a lot like the opp side of the causeway...right down to the architecture and shrubbery along road sides.
However, that was yesterday, and today's already arrived. I hope you all have had a wonderful year. Makes me think back about the past year - BBQs, OZ - tht wonderful nightmare, school, the A's and all the roulette sweets we ate as well as M&Ms spelling ;), all my tutors (drama included obviously), and the smoke inhaled in all our said BBQs.
And of course 04A2 (how could I forget em?).
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Monday, December 26, 2005
Between me and my Shadow
The land of Earthsea is brutal. They eat salt fish and waybread (not lembas, which is the elven kind) most of the time. The book reminds me of the voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is a Chronicle of Narnia. The book is also a lot like LOTR, especially in the matter of names. However, the book also feels rather anti-feminist to me, since the "good guys" have this deep mistrust of the fairer sex. I suppose this has to do with their history.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Sell it or shoot it
WARNING. SPOILERS AHEAD FOR KING KONG - THE MOVIE BY PETER JACKSON
That seems to be the tragedy behind King Kong... Well, like they always say there is always that comment on the human condition and I guess it is what you would call "normal behaviour" in sight of an enormous mystery right in the midst of New York...Well, that and the very idea of a lost island off the coast of Indonesia. The only plausible thing about that ludicrous idea is that it is the 1930s and it is very easy to miscount the number of islands when Indonesia has so many to its name...(its an archipelago).
However, when the original Kong film was made way back then, the 1930s wasn't a distant past, nor was Indonesia's numerous islands a matter. Personally, I am quite dubious whether the original producers even knew what Indonesia looked like on the map. That said, you can imagine what my initial reaction to the film was. A show with a blonde helpless wench who screams her head off and look scandalous. A really fake looking gorilla. A highly inaccurate portrayal of the said gorilla as an emotionless, mindless excuse to rampage through civilisation - Arrgghh. Big hairy beast meets metal skyscraper! Help. Faint. Pls don't ever wake up and scream some more...
Mercifully, Peter Jackson's rendition of the film was unexpectedly entertaining. There were in-jokes, really spastic bits, wit and high adventure. I particularly liked the scene on the boat, when Jack Driscoll (played by Adrien Brody) was in his temporary cabin (an apt location - a cage) typing away at a screenplay. I would think all scriptwriters in the world would sympathise with the scene. It clearly symbolises the stress of scriptwriting and the idea of being chained to deadlines and your work. For Driscoll, that chain transcends the virtual world and in fact serves as a bridge to the reel world reality of the movie.
Some things however, never change. Human avarice for one still exists today. One may say that greed and an exhibitionist streak has led us in the present to echo the mistakes of our past. The exploitative nature of tourism still exists today. Oh sure, the audience who gawked at Kong were comfortable in their own home country, and Kong in the 30s is a fictitious idea. However, the original idea of capturing a wild beast, a savage, and transforming it into a money spinner was conceived way back then, and touring creatures about IS tourist money...
Despite initial strong misgivings about the film, King Kong has turned out to be a fantastic show, unlike some other film where initial doubts were not alayed by watching it. You know what I'm talking about...just envision battered spaceships and light sabers. To cinclude - A thrilling circus act, brilliant cast and definitely NOT your typical jungle adventure.
That seems to be the tragedy behind King Kong... Well, like they always say there is always that comment on the human condition and I guess it is what you would call "normal behaviour" in sight of an enormous mystery right in the midst of New York...Well, that and the very idea of a lost island off the coast of Indonesia. The only plausible thing about that ludicrous idea is that it is the 1930s and it is very easy to miscount the number of islands when Indonesia has so many to its name...(its an archipelago).
However, when the original Kong film was made way back then, the 1930s wasn't a distant past, nor was Indonesia's numerous islands a matter. Personally, I am quite dubious whether the original producers even knew what Indonesia looked like on the map. That said, you can imagine what my initial reaction to the film was. A show with a blonde helpless wench who screams her head off and look scandalous. A really fake looking gorilla. A highly inaccurate portrayal of the said gorilla as an emotionless, mindless excuse to rampage through civilisation - Arrgghh. Big hairy beast meets metal skyscraper! Help. Faint. Pls don't ever wake up and scream some more...
Mercifully, Peter Jackson's rendition of the film was unexpectedly entertaining. There were in-jokes, really spastic bits, wit and high adventure. I particularly liked the scene on the boat, when Jack Driscoll (played by Adrien Brody) was in his temporary cabin (an apt location - a cage) typing away at a screenplay. I would think all scriptwriters in the world would sympathise with the scene. It clearly symbolises the stress of scriptwriting and the idea of being chained to deadlines and your work. For Driscoll, that chain transcends the virtual world and in fact serves as a bridge to the reel world reality of the movie.
Some things however, never change. Human avarice for one still exists today. One may say that greed and an exhibitionist streak has led us in the present to echo the mistakes of our past. The exploitative nature of tourism still exists today. Oh sure, the audience who gawked at Kong were comfortable in their own home country, and Kong in the 30s is a fictitious idea. However, the original idea of capturing a wild beast, a savage, and transforming it into a money spinner was conceived way back then, and touring creatures about IS tourist money...
Despite initial strong misgivings about the film, King Kong has turned out to be a fantastic show, unlike some other film where initial doubts were not alayed by watching it. You know what I'm talking about...just envision battered spaceships and light sabers. To cinclude - A thrilling circus act, brilliant cast and definitely NOT your typical jungle adventure.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Finches, Mockingbirds and Haiku
I read To Kill a Mockingbird yesterday and today. I haven't finished it yet...but at least I'm almost there. Funny how I liked it more than I did at Sec 4... At Sec 4 I couldn't stand Scout (always fighting) but now I don't know, maybe after two years of Persuasion and Shakespeare made reading it easier. I had fun with it...go read it too if you haven't. It's a lovely book, very innocent and rambling since it is through the eyes of a nine year old child. Children have a way of rambling when they want to say something lengthy, thus making it even lengthier. What I mean to say is they tend to put in what they found important, and what many adults tend not to notice. It's regrettable. It's the great educators of literature like Atticus who transcend the mores of their time to create the unforgettable personalities we read. Somehow, his hands off policy reminds me of the Tomoe Headmaster in Toto-chan. I liked the book too, only I had deep misgivings about anyone recalling their childhood in such great detail. However, I'm not complaining that much...Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's childhood is an eye opener...which reminds us that children are not as stupid as they sometimes seem.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Saturday Shopping Extraordinaire!
It has come to my conclusion, after a day's first hand observation and hands-on participation of Saturday Shopping that such an activity should only be undertaken if one is of unsound mind and wish for a tortuous death. One, in fact, may also coincidentally meet up with one's distant relations. However, such an incident may or may not count as a proper coincidence, given the physical constraints of our sunny island. While such an experience can be described by some as a somewhat pleasing experience, others say otherwise. The latter's reaction can only be attributed as a natural reaction to the infamous polite interrogation that distant relations are known for, seemingly worldwide. However, I digress. The endeavour that I've undertaken is in fact dedicated to a clinical analysis of shopping in Orchard Road on Saturday.
One of my first observations of the occasion is that of Queueing. Our first stop of the day was lunch at Far East Plaza. It is noted that we would need the sustenance for this rather exhaustive affair. The first thing that was observed was that upon arrival at the Japanese restaurant (of which I had absolutely no hand in coming to such a decision), we were immediately follow by an ever increasing crowd that promptly formed itself into an impromtu queue line outside the restaurant, which only opens at 12 noon. We enjoyed a lunch that would miraculously last the terrors of the afternoon. The rest of the afternoon can only be described as being spent being pushed, trodded on and trampled flat by the excited crowd.
Allow me to retrace our steps after the lunch. We walked round most of Far East Plaza, at which I seized the opportunity to purchase a nice jacket and dress. We then made our way to Tangs which provided THE season's decor - a walkway of lingerie decked dummies with artisically enhanced feather masks - for that extra....seasonality, and which converged into a finale in the form of an "Arabian Nights" (how apt and unique!) curtained tent for the relieving of anguished souls and tired feet, complete with MORE lingerie clad dummies. However, with every pro there is the con - everyone's tastes differ.
On a personal NOTE: It honestly looked nice, except for the festive lingerie.
The rest of the time was spent at Paragon where we met the said distant relations and had tea with them, and then on across the road (a mad dash!) to Takashimaya where the crowd was the worst, before moving on to Food Republic @ Wisma, which was worse than worst.
Here, we have the second observation of the day. When shopping, particularly at the end of a long, dreary and tiring Saturday, one is particularly susceptible to hunger pangs. By now, the world weary Shopping veteran would adopt a more patient "wait and see" stance. However, this by no means is a sign of slowing down. On the other hand, this "wait and see" strategy is not to be executed by those with slower reaction speeds. One must at all times remain alert for a vacant seat, and act with choice decisiveness and appropriate aggressiveness. By now, tired and hungry, most are teetering to their ends and would do what they can to snare a seat. This form of behaviour, is not without it's fair imitation in the world of animals - in fact there is a startling likeness to the behaviour of an unruly pack of vultures on the verge of starvation.
The way home was nondescript. We even got seats on the train.
The experience of Saturday Shopping in the heart of Shopping here can be concluded as thus: the undertaking of such an activity should be left to those of unsound mind or the foolhardy. This has been said before, but there is no harm in repeating these words of caution.
I bid you good night and happy times ahead, especially for the hoilday season.
Peace on Earth and goodwill to all men (and women). Merry Xmas. Tis a week away
One of my first observations of the occasion is that of Queueing. Our first stop of the day was lunch at Far East Plaza. It is noted that we would need the sustenance for this rather exhaustive affair. The first thing that was observed was that upon arrival at the Japanese restaurant (of which I had absolutely no hand in coming to such a decision), we were immediately follow by an ever increasing crowd that promptly formed itself into an impromtu queue line outside the restaurant, which only opens at 12 noon. We enjoyed a lunch that would miraculously last the terrors of the afternoon. The rest of the afternoon can only be described as being spent being pushed, trodded on and trampled flat by the excited crowd.
Allow me to retrace our steps after the lunch. We walked round most of Far East Plaza, at which I seized the opportunity to purchase a nice jacket and dress. We then made our way to Tangs which provided THE season's decor - a walkway of lingerie decked dummies with artisically enhanced feather masks - for that extra....seasonality, and which converged into a finale in the form of an "Arabian Nights" (how apt and unique!) curtained tent for the relieving of anguished souls and tired feet, complete with MORE lingerie clad dummies. However, with every pro there is the con - everyone's tastes differ.
On a personal NOTE: It honestly looked nice, except for the festive lingerie.
The rest of the time was spent at Paragon where we met the said distant relations and had tea with them, and then on across the road (a mad dash!) to Takashimaya where the crowd was the worst, before moving on to Food Republic @ Wisma, which was worse than worst.
Here, we have the second observation of the day. When shopping, particularly at the end of a long, dreary and tiring Saturday, one is particularly susceptible to hunger pangs. By now, the world weary Shopping veteran would adopt a more patient "wait and see" stance. However, this by no means is a sign of slowing down. On the other hand, this "wait and see" strategy is not to be executed by those with slower reaction speeds. One must at all times remain alert for a vacant seat, and act with choice decisiveness and appropriate aggressiveness. By now, tired and hungry, most are teetering to their ends and would do what they can to snare a seat. This form of behaviour, is not without it's fair imitation in the world of animals - in fact there is a startling likeness to the behaviour of an unruly pack of vultures on the verge of starvation.
The way home was nondescript. We even got seats on the train.
The experience of Saturday Shopping in the heart of Shopping here can be concluded as thus: the undertaking of such an activity should be left to those of unsound mind or the foolhardy. This has been said before, but there is no harm in repeating these words of caution.
I bid you good night and happy times ahead, especially for the hoilday season.
Peace on Earth and goodwill to all men (and women). Merry Xmas. Tis a week away
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Restored!
Yesterday, my home phone died. It was already dying several days before but we only noticed on Sunday when my aunt called my handphone to say that my grandma had been trying to call our house phone the whole morning. The SingTel people came yesterday and proclaimed our line dead and that we would need another guy to come and reattach the phone cable to the mains outside. Apparently the previous owner did not (or maybe it did to the proud new owner of a HDB flat) have the sense to discreetly hide all the cables behind a nice cornice which made moving potential fire hazards an impossibility unless we got someone to knock down our walls.
Basically what they did was to create a new line that now runs near the floor instead of near the ceiling. There was a bit if drilling and hammering and I sincerely hoped the neighbours don't mind. I hate drilling and living in a house that is subjected to such sounds that would no doubt annoy others more than it did me is even more distasteful than the noise.
However, enough about that. I would have blogged this sooner but the guy only fixed the line just this evening. There are a number of weird things that would happen to you if you live near your school. Oh yes, I know I've 'graduated' but seriously, what do you do when you happen to meet your teacher (with husband in tow) when you've only just stepped out of your blk's lift, still bleary eyed from sleep?? I gwaked, smiled, and waved. I THINK. I can't seem to recall that surreal moment. That afternoon, I went to Pasir Ris to cycle. My sis's kite got stuck in a coconut tree. Haha. It would have been very funny if she wasn't sulking so much, or pissed off that we wanted to go cycling instead of kite flying. However, life's like that see, and by the time we got home no one was really mad at each other anymore. I think it has partly to do with the fact that, we were not only too tired, but prolonged arguing can just be as exhaustive as cycling uphill all afternoon. It is also bad for health.
It's good to be connected again. My house is definitely not tech friendly either, and I thought I was bad enough.
Basically what they did was to create a new line that now runs near the floor instead of near the ceiling. There was a bit if drilling and hammering and I sincerely hoped the neighbours don't mind. I hate drilling and living in a house that is subjected to such sounds that would no doubt annoy others more than it did me is even more distasteful than the noise.
However, enough about that. I would have blogged this sooner but the guy only fixed the line just this evening. There are a number of weird things that would happen to you if you live near your school. Oh yes, I know I've 'graduated' but seriously, what do you do when you happen to meet your teacher (with husband in tow) when you've only just stepped out of your blk's lift, still bleary eyed from sleep?? I gwaked, smiled, and waved. I THINK. I can't seem to recall that surreal moment. That afternoon, I went to Pasir Ris to cycle. My sis's kite got stuck in a coconut tree. Haha. It would have been very funny if she wasn't sulking so much, or pissed off that we wanted to go cycling instead of kite flying. However, life's like that see, and by the time we got home no one was really mad at each other anymore. I think it has partly to do with the fact that, we were not only too tired, but prolonged arguing can just be as exhaustive as cycling uphill all afternoon. It is also bad for health.
It's good to be connected again. My house is definitely not tech friendly either, and I thought I was bad enough.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Saturday Shopping
One would think that by now, even the most thick skinned moron would not go shopping on Saturdays. Saturdays are the worst days for shopping - especially when the place you are going to features some form of sale. In any case, I'm only complaining because I didn't find anything nice to buy. The satisfaction of shopping comes from purchasing something. It is also satisfying only when you don't have annoying relations who complain at length about shopping. Hence, here is warning no.1: Never ever bring a reluctant shopper out, esp on Sat.
However, today was kinda nice. I liked just getting out of my house. It's amzing isn't it, that holiday feel. Shopping, slacking, more slacking...the only thing missing to get the best out of a holiday seems to me to be a PURPOSE to all these wonderful wonderful things. I remember how it was when school was a daily chore... ...now I miss it. It's so strange how the grass on the opposite field always looks so much greener. Anyway, today was mostly a mad rush about town to buy things that do not involve me, like a new mattress protector not for my bed, and THINGS that do not interest me but my sis. I cannot find a violet jacket anywhere. Looks as though I have to settle for PINK, which I detest. Unfortunately I have had at least 2 shop assistant/co-owner tell me I look nice in pink (bleah) and I suppose if it is only an accessory I might just go with it. OK, enough rubbish about me...am too tired to blog properly.
P.S. Never get too excited when you see the latest release of your fav anime. Pls always note carefully what sort of subtitles they use.
However, today was kinda nice. I liked just getting out of my house. It's amzing isn't it, that holiday feel. Shopping, slacking, more slacking...the only thing missing to get the best out of a holiday seems to me to be a PURPOSE to all these wonderful wonderful things. I remember how it was when school was a daily chore... ...now I miss it. It's so strange how the grass on the opposite field always looks so much greener. Anyway, today was mostly a mad rush about town to buy things that do not involve me, like a new mattress protector not for my bed, and THINGS that do not interest me but my sis. I cannot find a violet jacket anywhere. Looks as though I have to settle for PINK, which I detest. Unfortunately I have had at least 2 shop assistant/co-owner tell me I look nice in pink (bleah) and I suppose if it is only an accessory I might just go with it. OK, enough rubbish about me...am too tired to blog properly.
P.S. Never get too excited when you see the latest release of your fav anime. Pls always note carefully what sort of subtitles they use.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
A New Post
Yesterday was prom. The banner on stage was hideous even if everything else (aka the hotel decor) was lovely. Black everything, roses on table, mirrors everywhere, and chandeliers (I suppose they can be counted as such) decorated with bronze leaves and vine "branches". Thanks goodness the waiter/waitress parading thing was kept to a discreet minimum. It's so much more elegant that way. Ok, enough on the pointless bit. Well...it's not really pointless. If I own a palace I know where to ask for int designers.
Picked up Jane via cab. My dad gave the cab driver a whole lot of complicated and useless junk oops. I meant directions, and I was forced to point the poor fellow to Jane's door. Seriously speaking, you shouldn't tell your daughter's taxi driver to drive her to Daisy Park when she wants to go to Daisy Road. Took some photos. People watched. Rolled eyes at deejay. It's what I do. There seems to be some unspoken rule that prom deejays use horrible ice breakers. Haha. Nah. He wasn't so bad actually. It got better, and one must after all excuse our dismal location way south of the VIP table. There were lots of people in clubbing attire. I wonder why. -_- Some with better fashion sense and sense of situation were dressed in a prom-clubbing hyrid which worked. I mean..the place IS decked in ebony. p.y. crashed. =)
After prom was a nice quite chat at the lounge. I assume that it is a lounge since it comes in the same colonial black themed decor and really really nice sofas complete with cushions. It was also the sort of place which youenvision along with cigars. Had tea. Don't really like nuts though. I was with the sane people Ms Kwok & Jane - The rest decided to go home (logical at the time of the night) or go clubbing at this place near Bugis (logical theoretically). I do not intend to be canned sardines. It is something that has never appealed to me. Probably never will. Oh yes...I still owe someone a drink. DON'T come clamouring up to me though, would be imposters. I happen to know whom I owe things to. =p
Tea and chat was really nice. Thanks for tea and everything else.
By the way...the clouds were lovely today. White, grey, lilac, silver and pink. Plus the blue of the sky...you don't get them like that unless it rained, and then was hot for a while before cooling again.
Picked up Jane via cab. My dad gave the cab driver a whole lot of complicated and useless junk oops. I meant directions, and I was forced to point the poor fellow to Jane's door. Seriously speaking, you shouldn't tell your daughter's taxi driver to drive her to Daisy Park when she wants to go to Daisy Road. Took some photos. People watched. Rolled eyes at deejay. It's what I do. There seems to be some unspoken rule that prom deejays use horrible ice breakers. Haha. Nah. He wasn't so bad actually. It got better, and one must after all excuse our dismal location way south of the VIP table. There were lots of people in clubbing attire. I wonder why. -_- Some with better fashion sense and sense of situation were dressed in a prom-clubbing hyrid which worked. I mean..the place IS decked in ebony. p.y. crashed. =)
After prom was a nice quite chat at the lounge. I assume that it is a lounge since it comes in the same colonial black themed decor and really really nice sofas complete with cushions. It was also the sort of place which youenvision along with cigars. Had tea. Don't really like nuts though. I was with the sane people Ms Kwok & Jane - The rest decided to go home (logical at the time of the night) or go clubbing at this place near Bugis (logical theoretically). I do not intend to be canned sardines. It is something that has never appealed to me. Probably never will. Oh yes...I still owe someone a drink. DON'T come clamouring up to me though, would be imposters. I happen to know whom I owe things to. =p
Tea and chat was really nice. Thanks for tea and everything else.
By the way...the clouds were lovely today. White, grey, lilac, silver and pink. Plus the blue of the sky...you don't get them like that unless it rained, and then was hot for a while before cooling again.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Urban Jungle
A caterpillar (the hideous green variety) managed to find its way up my shirt yesterday night. Don't ask me how it got there because I have no idea. I only saw it when I was in the lift. Knocked it off with my house keys. I don't want to complain, but seriously, Singapore is NOT a place where you meet many caterpillars, unless of course you happen to be in the Zoo, where they deliberately deck the Fragile Forest exhibit with those appalling creatures. Is there some kind of ill fortue that follows me around? Or is there some rule that says the more you fear them, the more they follow you around, dropping onto shoulders and shirt fronts and being made pets by younger siblings?
Today, I walked around with my new heels. I bought them for prom, but really no one in their right minds would wear heels that high. They are bad for your feet, lousy shopping footwear, dangerous on bumpy terrain (like old tar roads and brick roads) and utterly useless unless for improving posture. If you walk on grass, your heels sink into the soil, thanks partly to the wet weather of course, but still... Today. I nearly toppled down the stairs on them, and then after that, I scrapped the heel when I stepped onto the metal grill of the drains. =( Hey. At least now, with some practice, I can walk to Grand Hyatt knowing I would have less chnces to fall flat on my face.
Those heels...and those monstrous denizens of trees and bushes and vegetables your mother buys home from the market...leaves one to think - Urban jungle? I live at the edge of civilisation.
P.S. I know it's duh but yup...comp fixed. More or less.
Today, I walked around with my new heels. I bought them for prom, but really no one in their right minds would wear heels that high. They are bad for your feet, lousy shopping footwear, dangerous on bumpy terrain (like old tar roads and brick roads) and utterly useless unless for improving posture. If you walk on grass, your heels sink into the soil, thanks partly to the wet weather of course, but still... Today. I nearly toppled down the stairs on them, and then after that, I scrapped the heel when I stepped onto the metal grill of the drains. =( Hey. At least now, with some practice, I can walk to Grand Hyatt knowing I would have less chnces to fall flat on my face.
Those heels...and those monstrous denizens of trees and bushes and vegetables your mother buys home from the market...leaves one to think - Urban jungle? I live at the edge of civilisation.
P.S. I know it's duh but yup...comp fixed. More or less.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
An update for all the good it'll do
Let's see... what have I been doing? On Thursday, I met up with Cheryl and Ailing to go see our old teachers at Beatty to notify them on our intentions to sign up for relief teaching. We met up with our English teacher, Ms Lim. It was an amazing coincidence that she was in school anyway. The security guards refused to let us in. I know they are only doing their job, which is good, but that meant that we were stuck standing at the school porch until Ms Lim rescued us.
The visit let to me realise that truly, I've forgotten how much I once knew of my classmates. Cheryl bullied (OK...asked nicely) a Beatty student into finding ANY teacher for us, and that was how we actually met up with our English teacher in the first place. It's shocking really. Either I've forgotten or never realised that Cheryl has such a... ...forceful personality. I don't mean it in a bad way people. It just means she is determined and resourceful. Goodness. I think I missed out on a lot not getting to know my classmates better... =)
Friday was a big dim sum lunch at Crystal Jade. It was yummy of course, though the duck with green noodles was a tad on the strange side. The duck also got stuck in my teeth, and I hate food that does that. Spent the rest of the day shopping in Orchard [Got my prom dress Yay!] and a new bike. My sis was with me cos she wanted the bike and I needed a dress. Happily, I spent only a short hour and a half at Wisma picking out my dress. That is an unusually short time picking out a dress for me. Me, the fickle freak. Funnily enough, my sis was patient enough to walk around and watch me try out clothes. Decided on a dress finally and then hopped on the train to Plaza Singapura to buy the bike from Carrefour. We actually made it home in time to eat our dinner.
Now, all I need to do is get my shoes and all the other peripheries. Or whatever they are called.
By the way, I suggest that u all try and get your hands on Spirits in the Wires. It is such a cool book! The starting is a bit slow, with the author trying to introduce all the magical terms and characters [and there are a lot of them], but it is still ok in general. I liked the idea of spirits in the Internet. At least it brings the spiritworld closer to reality.
The visit let to me realise that truly, I've forgotten how much I once knew of my classmates. Cheryl bullied (OK...asked nicely) a Beatty student into finding ANY teacher for us, and that was how we actually met up with our English teacher in the first place. It's shocking really. Either I've forgotten or never realised that Cheryl has such a... ...forceful personality. I don't mean it in a bad way people. It just means she is determined and resourceful. Goodness. I think I missed out on a lot not getting to know my classmates better... =)
Friday was a big dim sum lunch at Crystal Jade. It was yummy of course, though the duck with green noodles was a tad on the strange side. The duck also got stuck in my teeth, and I hate food that does that. Spent the rest of the day shopping in Orchard [Got my prom dress Yay!] and a new bike. My sis was with me cos she wanted the bike and I needed a dress. Happily, I spent only a short hour and a half at Wisma picking out my dress. That is an unusually short time picking out a dress for me. Me, the fickle freak. Funnily enough, my sis was patient enough to walk around and watch me try out clothes. Decided on a dress finally and then hopped on the train to Plaza Singapura to buy the bike from Carrefour. We actually made it home in time to eat our dinner.
Now, all I need to do is get my shoes and all the other peripheries. Or whatever they are called.
By the way, I suggest that u all try and get your hands on Spirits in the Wires. It is such a cool book! The starting is a bit slow, with the author trying to introduce all the magical terms and characters [and there are a lot of them], but it is still ok in general. I liked the idea of spirits in the Internet. At least it brings the spiritworld closer to reality.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Tears of Laughter
WARNING: READERS BEWARE!
SPOILERS AHEAD. AND I MEAN MAJOR SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE WATCHED HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE (or are not allowed or are not planning to watch it)
I do not think I've ever laughed so hard before. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was just amazing! I don't know, maybe its just that I might be finally getting used to the movie franchise or something. Anyway, excellent job all round I think. For a movie that was based on a world-famous book, I think the mass appeal method still works best. The previous movie, which was admittedly a little on the arty side is still one of my favourites in the series of movies, but Goblet really topped it because I felt that the movie captured the essence of the book really well, right down to it's very very English roots. [I think a British director makes all the diff] The opening strains of the Harry Potter theme music was approapriately eerie. (Yes, Kappa, I preferred listening to the dialogue but ok... soundtrack wasn't too bad) Oh yes, and as a book that dwindled slowly from fun, laughter and slapstick to horror, it takes an expert who is subtle enough to blend the two very different genres together, with the fine echoes of mounting darkness always ready to leap out unexpectedly at the audience.
I never thought that I'll be freaked out by a Harry Potter movie, but the first few scenes were truly spine-chilling. It followed closely to the book of course, and now, after some helpful prompting from Hash and Aaron, was reminded of reading about the muggle murder. I found that I'd imagined the scene to be something very much like this, which is good because that made me even more impressed with it. Nagini is cool, in an evil villian's pet sort of way.
Loved the Yule Ball scene. Poor Ron. It was so funny and I was laughing really hard. The scene of Ron moaning in distress at the sight of himself dresseed in the mouldering old robes is utterly hilarious. ["I look like my great-aunt Tessie!"] Lol. Lord Voldemort looked the way I had envisioned him to look like way back was when I was in Primary 12 when I first came across Harry Potter. Whooo. The image really stuck with me all through the years.
All in all, I think I cangive the movie a 7-7.5 rating, out of 10. Go watch it if you haven't! I think everyone enjoyed it and if you haven't gone, I'll say hurry and catch it!!!
P.S. The dragons are awesome. Not big and clumsy but really flexible and dangerous. Just the way I like em.
SPOILERS AHEAD. AND I MEAN MAJOR SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE WATCHED HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE (or are not allowed or are not planning to watch it)
I do not think I've ever laughed so hard before. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was just amazing! I don't know, maybe its just that I might be finally getting used to the movie franchise or something. Anyway, excellent job all round I think. For a movie that was based on a world-famous book, I think the mass appeal method still works best. The previous movie, which was admittedly a little on the arty side is still one of my favourites in the series of movies, but Goblet really topped it because I felt that the movie captured the essence of the book really well, right down to it's very very English roots. [I think a British director makes all the diff] The opening strains of the Harry Potter theme music was approapriately eerie. (Yes, Kappa, I preferred listening to the dialogue but ok... soundtrack wasn't too bad) Oh yes, and as a book that dwindled slowly from fun, laughter and slapstick to horror, it takes an expert who is subtle enough to blend the two very different genres together, with the fine echoes of mounting darkness always ready to leap out unexpectedly at the audience.
I never thought that I'll be freaked out by a Harry Potter movie, but the first few scenes were truly spine-chilling. It followed closely to the book of course, and now, after some helpful prompting from Hash and Aaron, was reminded of reading about the muggle murder. I found that I'd imagined the scene to be something very much like this, which is good because that made me even more impressed with it. Nagini is cool, in an evil villian's pet sort of way.
Loved the Yule Ball scene. Poor Ron. It was so funny and I was laughing really hard. The scene of Ron moaning in distress at the sight of himself dresseed in the mouldering old robes is utterly hilarious. ["I look like my great-aunt Tessie!"] Lol. Lord Voldemort looked the way I had envisioned him to look like way back was when I was in Primary 12 when I first came across Harry Potter. Whooo. The image really stuck with me all through the years.
All in all, I think I cangive the movie a 7-7.5 rating, out of 10. Go watch it if you haven't! I think everyone enjoyed it and if you haven't gone, I'll say hurry and catch it!!!
P.S. The dragons are awesome. Not big and clumsy but really flexible and dangerous. Just the way I like em.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Much Better
Am feeling much better. Feel more emotionally stable. Health wise, I can't say. Think I've really caught the cold damn it. Great. After feeling shitty last Friday (seeing Tom Stoppard didn't make me feel any better) went home after Lit and found that nose decided to leak blood. Yay. Eew. The memory isn't disgusting but the thought of a bloody nose is. Now, I've improved to possessing a leaky nose reminiscient of the leaky tap at home.
Anyways, I'll be doing a boring report of my trip to the library in months!! Yes! It was lovely since I found 2 out of that very long reading list in tht prev post. It's Charles de Lint's Spirits in the Wires and Middlesex (Jeffery Eugenides I think; didn't bother to look properly yet). Both of them, along with this 3-in-1 trilogy were enormous heavy and utterly cumbersome. Ended up loading them all the way to KFC and then around Serangoon buying food home. Huh... I must remind all librarians that however hardy hard covers are, they sure are not user friendly. They are muderous weapons. You can kill if you hit someone with them.
The 3rd which coincidentally isn't on my list of to read bks is the "Riddle-Master" trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip. It draws on the LOTR and the love of riddling that is especially important in "The Hobbit", which is the prequel to LOTR. Sadly, there isn't a way to join in the riddling since you'll have absoulutely no idea of the history of the land which is quite obviously like Middle-Earth - make believe. However, that doesn't mean the riddles are insignificant, on the other hand, the riddles are really what drives the plot onwards.
Nevertheless, it is highly entertaining trying to keep one step ahead of the plot and solve the ultimate riddle spanning the 3 books, which is umm. I won't tell you what it is. Lovely book though, which also draws on typical viking-nish scenery of tall, craggy mountains, vast halls of Kings, dressed in substantial furs against the icy backdrop. Those at least were the most memorable scenes for me. Fellow readers are free to dispute of course.
However, the ending was a bit sucky. I felt that it was rather abrupt and the battle scenes passed too quickly over. You get the feel that the author is trying to condense an epic into too short a tale. However apart from that, I enjoyed it - a good old-fashioned fantasy tale.
Anyways, I'll be doing a boring report of my trip to the library in months!! Yes! It was lovely since I found 2 out of that very long reading list in tht prev post. It's Charles de Lint's Spirits in the Wires and Middlesex (Jeffery Eugenides I think; didn't bother to look properly yet). Both of them, along with this 3-in-1 trilogy were enormous heavy and utterly cumbersome. Ended up loading them all the way to KFC and then around Serangoon buying food home. Huh... I must remind all librarians that however hardy hard covers are, they sure are not user friendly. They are muderous weapons. You can kill if you hit someone with them.
The 3rd which coincidentally isn't on my list of to read bks is the "Riddle-Master" trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip. It draws on the LOTR and the love of riddling that is especially important in "The Hobbit", which is the prequel to LOTR. Sadly, there isn't a way to join in the riddling since you'll have absoulutely no idea of the history of the land which is quite obviously like Middle-Earth - make believe. However, that doesn't mean the riddles are insignificant, on the other hand, the riddles are really what drives the plot onwards.
Nevertheless, it is highly entertaining trying to keep one step ahead of the plot and solve the ultimate riddle spanning the 3 books, which is umm. I won't tell you what it is. Lovely book though, which also draws on typical viking-nish scenery of tall, craggy mountains, vast halls of Kings, dressed in substantial furs against the icy backdrop. Those at least were the most memorable scenes for me. Fellow readers are free to dispute of course.
However, the ending was a bit sucky. I felt that it was rather abrupt and the battle scenes passed too quickly over. You get the feel that the author is trying to condense an epic into too short a tale. However apart from that, I enjoyed it - a good old-fashioned fantasy tale.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Cynics. The modern world and the impossibility of goodwill
I'm pissed off. If this sounds like an impartial post then YES. I don't think I'll like to sound civil anymore. Somebody once told me that the world has become increasingly cynical, that it is hard to find someone who can still believe in the good in people, that all anyone sees nowadays are the flaws first of all, and most of all. It's almost as if prejudice has become a daily thing. We mistrust so easily. Far harder it is to gain another's trust. Locked doors behind smiles. If people say that few good men exist in the world today, then it is because this world is such that we do not care to see the goodness in people. It's a rat race man. Who damn cares about others?? Self comes first. Some say looking through rose coloured glasses is escapism. Are we then to lock oursleves in a mundane world then? We all need an outlet. Others rush headlong but I like to take it slow. However that isn't going to happen (Slowing down I mean). Not now anyway.
After two years at NY. I wonder what you all think. I feel like I haven't changed, and yet at the same time, I think that my life has altered beyond recognition too. More scared and less scared. I'm not that girl from Sec 4 now am I? That comfortable place where I knew my place and was happy in it.
I wonder if it is so hard to see the good in others. Or try probing beyond the surface. Then again, who am I indeed to say this when my principles are less than sound? It's not like I've tried to know others. I'm not very forthcoming. I too am a prejudiced person. I stick to my opinions and don't change them easily. Or maybe I don't and that's my problem. Am I too agreeable or something?
Just this morning, I argued with my sis. I suppose it's nothing to her since she tried to placate me with the pet hamsters less than 10 mins after shouting at me. Does she think I'm not angry? Am I forgiving because I don't destroy possesions the way certain family do when angry? Or the fact that I don't retaliate when hit? I hate fighting. I hate aimless quibbling. I just want to curl up with a good book and is that so wrong? I'm sorry. I don't think I've forgotten all the nasty things she said or things she accused me off, like waking up at 7 to read.
I woke up to buy breakfast. Because my mother wakes early. So i need to get breakfast early right. Wrong. I get accused of being addicted. Look at yourself please. Who spent her finals with her XBox? I see that happening for the O's too. Of course, all my mother did when we are both shouting at each other is to remind my sis that she hasn't washed the hamster cage yet. I can't think of a worse time to remind angry children about their most hated chores. Yup. Go on. Add fuel to the fire. Go on. But I don't need to egg ppl on. They do it themselves oh so voluntarily. Parents never did understand their children. Neither then do siblings.
But I can only hope that there are people out there who are not cynics. They must be considered a rare species. Almost extinct. Endangered. Let's hope they multiply soon.
After two years at NY. I wonder what you all think. I feel like I haven't changed, and yet at the same time, I think that my life has altered beyond recognition too. More scared and less scared. I'm not that girl from Sec 4 now am I? That comfortable place where I knew my place and was happy in it.
I wonder if it is so hard to see the good in others. Or try probing beyond the surface. Then again, who am I indeed to say this when my principles are less than sound? It's not like I've tried to know others. I'm not very forthcoming. I too am a prejudiced person. I stick to my opinions and don't change them easily. Or maybe I don't and that's my problem. Am I too agreeable or something?
Just this morning, I argued with my sis. I suppose it's nothing to her since she tried to placate me with the pet hamsters less than 10 mins after shouting at me. Does she think I'm not angry? Am I forgiving because I don't destroy possesions the way certain family do when angry? Or the fact that I don't retaliate when hit? I hate fighting. I hate aimless quibbling. I just want to curl up with a good book and is that so wrong? I'm sorry. I don't think I've forgotten all the nasty things she said or things she accused me off, like waking up at 7 to read.
I woke up to buy breakfast. Because my mother wakes early. So i need to get breakfast early right. Wrong. I get accused of being addicted. Look at yourself please. Who spent her finals with her XBox? I see that happening for the O's too. Of course, all my mother did when we are both shouting at each other is to remind my sis that she hasn't washed the hamster cage yet. I can't think of a worse time to remind angry children about their most hated chores. Yup. Go on. Add fuel to the fire. Go on. But I don't need to egg ppl on. They do it themselves oh so voluntarily. Parents never did understand their children. Neither then do siblings.
But I can only hope that there are people out there who are not cynics. They must be considered a rare species. Almost extinct. Endangered. Let's hope they multiply soon.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Relief [or not. Lot's to do]
YES! All the evil evil papers are over! Well. All anyway except Lit. Please Lit...you don't want to make me hate you too... Now let's see. Finally, I have time to think about something other than the A's.
Yes. Free!!! Let me list the things I've wanted to do after the exam or at least continue from before my exam.
Hmm.
Play Pokemon on my sis's gameboy. My poor character is stuck out at sea since a month ago.
Read. There are a list of to-read things:
Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Turns out it is a series.
Charles de Lint's umm. New book. Can't remember what's it called.
Diana Wynne Jones's Conrad's Fate. [So I'm reading kid's stuff. So what. (Glares accusingly at anyone who dares to even let out a snigger)]
Can't remember her name's book. Think it was about basilisks.
American Gods [I wonder if Anansi Boys is out in the libraries yet?]
Tom Stoppard's plays and Waiting for Godot if I can find it. Does anyone want to go to Esplanade Library?
Arthur Miller's The Crucible. And some others. Maybe the Glass Menagerie. Can't recall...
START on this book I bought long ago because Kappa said it was mentioned in the OC. Looks good though. About WWII and comics.
Middlesex. Saw it in Borders long ago. Maybe I'll borrow it too. That is if I can find all of the above except for the one I bought alr.
Play badminton. Does anyone want to??
Watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Watch Chronicles of Narnia
Watch anything else that looks good and if I have the money after prom shopping
Prom shopping. Shit. What to wear...what to wear...need concealer first of all. I look like a freak after 3 straight days without proper sleep and too much tension [Maybe by prom I'll look better]
Then there is still my hair. My shoes. Makeup. Ugh.
Buy VCDs. I want Howl's Moving Castle. Is it out yet?? The movie was ages ago...the idiots.
Book shopping. Or just general shopping. =p
Go find a job. How boring. Sigh.
OK. That's it for now. I'm quite happy with the list. Lot's to do. Prom shopping and Harry Potter are of the most urgent obviously. I'll just keep all these in mind. Haha.
Yes. Free!!! Let me list the things I've wanted to do after the exam or at least continue from before my exam.
Hmm.
Play Pokemon on my sis's gameboy. My poor character is stuck out at sea since a month ago.
Read. There are a list of to-read things:
Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Turns out it is a series.
Charles de Lint's umm. New book. Can't remember what's it called.
Diana Wynne Jones's Conrad's Fate. [So I'm reading kid's stuff. So what. (Glares accusingly at anyone who dares to even let out a snigger)]
Can't remember her name's book. Think it was about basilisks.
American Gods [I wonder if Anansi Boys is out in the libraries yet?]
Tom Stoppard's plays and Waiting for Godot if I can find it. Does anyone want to go to Esplanade Library?
Arthur Miller's The Crucible. And some others. Maybe the Glass Menagerie. Can't recall...
START on this book I bought long ago because Kappa said it was mentioned in the OC. Looks good though. About WWII and comics.
Middlesex. Saw it in Borders long ago. Maybe I'll borrow it too. That is if I can find all of the above except for the one I bought alr.
Play badminton. Does anyone want to??
Watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Watch Chronicles of Narnia
Watch anything else that looks good and if I have the money after prom shopping
Prom shopping. Shit. What to wear...what to wear...need concealer first of all. I look like a freak after 3 straight days without proper sleep and too much tension [Maybe by prom I'll look better]
Then there is still my hair. My shoes. Makeup. Ugh.
Buy VCDs. I want Howl's Moving Castle. Is it out yet?? The movie was ages ago...the idiots.
Book shopping. Or just general shopping. =p
Go find a job. How boring. Sigh.
OK. That's it for now. I'm quite happy with the list. Lot's to do. Prom shopping and Harry Potter are of the most urgent obviously. I'll just keep all these in mind. Haha.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Dream
I had a dream last night. It probably had to do with the big dinner I had last night. My mum cooked this huge amount of meat, potatoes and carrot thing, and then she got pissed off when my dad brought home otah and chicken wings despite her telling him not to. Ah well. It is funny how when you complain you haven't had a really good dream for a really long time you end up with a demi-nightmare.
Let's see, like all good nightmares, one starts off with a pleasant enough dream. I was literally in paradise; dreamscape was filled with trees, weedy pools of clear water and an underwater glass house. [There was a sea turtle swimming over head for some reason] There was even a sparkling waterfall and a wooden suspension bridge [cool]. Then after a nice time 'exploring' this place, I end up stuck with 3 goons who somehow running from the law. The 3 goons [a guy with a beard, a young noble lady and a kid] and me as silent observer end up in the biggest goon's [bearded guy] flooded family vault. I'm sure we've all seen enough horror flicks to know what they put in underground vaults. The two grown up goons are having an argument in which the lady is extremely miffed that the biggest goon, instead of helping her gain an audience with the Duke has led them to this soggy and ulu place. Apparently the lady wants to seek Justice for her brother who is igoing to be unjustly executed for some minor crime. The noble lady is obviously trying to rescue her brother.
Sadly, while this may not be very scary sounding to most normal people is highly disturbing to me. For one thing, this sounds like a screwed up version of M4M [Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare]. Oh no oh no. I'm not the sort who has nightmares about schoolwork. Now I get this. Along with dancing skeleton ancestors of the bearded goon. Oh no. Oh no.
The summary of M4M goes that this is a Duke that is travelling incognito to spy on a potentially corrupt high ranking official. The official who does not know that he is being 'tested' goes on to blunder in the Duke's absence, by sending out harsh penalties for crimes that the slacker Duke had ignored while in power. With the official's new rules, a young noble called Claudio is to be executed for impregnating his soon to be married girlfriend. His sister, Isabella goes to the official and begs for her brother's life. Hoorah. Then when the corrupt official says that in exchange for her brother's freedom, she has to have a one night stand with him. She refuses duh, and then there is this messy convulated thing abt meeting the Duke in disguise, the potential dues ex machina, knight-in-shining-armour etc etc. YAWN.
Anyway, all's well end's well so they say.
Watched the Oliver Parker version of Othello [not the game; it's the play] today. There was this minor character with really hideous balloonish pants and white tights that provided untimely comic relief. If only I had a pic...it was funny, even if it wasn't supposed to be.
Let's see, like all good nightmares, one starts off with a pleasant enough dream. I was literally in paradise; dreamscape was filled with trees, weedy pools of clear water and an underwater glass house. [There was a sea turtle swimming over head for some reason] There was even a sparkling waterfall and a wooden suspension bridge [cool]. Then after a nice time 'exploring' this place, I end up stuck with 3 goons who somehow running from the law. The 3 goons [a guy with a beard, a young noble lady and a kid] and me as silent observer end up in the biggest goon's [bearded guy] flooded family vault. I'm sure we've all seen enough horror flicks to know what they put in underground vaults. The two grown up goons are having an argument in which the lady is extremely miffed that the biggest goon, instead of helping her gain an audience with the Duke has led them to this soggy and ulu place. Apparently the lady wants to seek Justice for her brother who is igoing to be unjustly executed for some minor crime. The noble lady is obviously trying to rescue her brother.
Sadly, while this may not be very scary sounding to most normal people is highly disturbing to me. For one thing, this sounds like a screwed up version of M4M [Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare]. Oh no oh no. I'm not the sort who has nightmares about schoolwork. Now I get this. Along with dancing skeleton ancestors of the bearded goon. Oh no. Oh no.
The summary of M4M goes that this is a Duke that is travelling incognito to spy on a potentially corrupt high ranking official. The official who does not know that he is being 'tested' goes on to blunder in the Duke's absence, by sending out harsh penalties for crimes that the slacker Duke had ignored while in power. With the official's new rules, a young noble called Claudio is to be executed for impregnating his soon to be married girlfriend. His sister, Isabella goes to the official and begs for her brother's life. Hoorah. Then when the corrupt official says that in exchange for her brother's freedom, she has to have a one night stand with him. She refuses duh, and then there is this messy convulated thing abt meeting the Duke in disguise, the potential dues ex machina, knight-in-shining-armour etc etc. YAWN.
Anyway, all's well end's well so they say.
Watched the Oliver Parker version of Othello [not the game; it's the play] today. There was this minor character with really hideous balloonish pants and white tights that provided untimely comic relief. If only I had a pic...it was funny, even if it wasn't supposed to be.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Don't think there is a need for a title. [So this will just do]
Firstly, I'll like to apologise for the state of the two previous posts. They are utterly hideous. I will write something befitting a calm, rational person the next time. How anyone can find this farcical is a guess. Do I write like it is a farce? It's amazing. Unintentional laughter and joy everywhere.
Secondly. My dad is hollering in the background on the point of owning a blog. His very disapproval is testimonial to the existence of my blog. Huh. Oops. I wasn't supposed to be complaining. I'm at it again...
Thirdly [which is also lastly] I can't remember what. I'll think on it.
Secondly. My dad is hollering in the background on the point of owning a blog. His very disapproval is testimonial to the existence of my blog. Huh. Oops. I wasn't supposed to be complaining. I'm at it again...
Thirdly [which is also lastly] I can't remember what. I'll think on it.
Saturday, October 29, 2005
One of those days
I wonder what takes to wake you up.
I suppose that I should have an exciting account of what goes on in my life, but frankly, I sometimes wonder what IS the point of my blog? I suppose I should say that I'm not the sort with lofty aspirations, and that this blog is no place for social commentary, media mongery or even political speculation.
Looking back, I'm just one of those bloggers who merely started well, blogging simply because I'm the selfish sort who needs to put her views somewhere. Yup. A sort of diary which my thoughts go into. However, I think that blogging goes beyond this rather self-centered view, even if it started out like this... I really must thank my blog for keeping my temper in check.
You lovely readers wouldn't see it. I haven't cracked in a public zone since Oz, and then today, if you can call it public since the only witnesses are myself and my baka sister. All that mental shouting, all that bitching and all that physical pulling and screaming could have been a lot worse if I didn't have an outlet. It can be so satisfying to think up the most miserable punishments for your idiot sibling and then posting it to the world. If Angelo is concerned about his rep, then my sweet sis is even more so.
I think it is very nice if I can just splash my "intended" exploits here, but I shall not.
Blogging is not meant for the self. It is for others too. I don't mean you all are pesky voyeurs. It just means that the Internet is made that way. It's something that one realises after a while. No one can stop others from prying [even if they try Haha].
My stint as an anoyamous tagger just proves that we are all a) busybodies b) A Levels turn us into nut cases and in my case, a sadist. Haha.
Well. gtg. Happy Halloween, folks.
I suppose that I should have an exciting account of what goes on in my life, but frankly, I sometimes wonder what IS the point of my blog? I suppose I should say that I'm not the sort with lofty aspirations, and that this blog is no place for social commentary, media mongery or even political speculation.
Looking back, I'm just one of those bloggers who merely started well, blogging simply because I'm the selfish sort who needs to put her views somewhere. Yup. A sort of diary which my thoughts go into. However, I think that blogging goes beyond this rather self-centered view, even if it started out like this... I really must thank my blog for keeping my temper in check.
You lovely readers wouldn't see it. I haven't cracked in a public zone since Oz, and then today, if you can call it public since the only witnesses are myself and my baka sister. All that mental shouting, all that bitching and all that physical pulling and screaming could have been a lot worse if I didn't have an outlet. It can be so satisfying to think up the most miserable punishments for your idiot sibling and then posting it to the world. If Angelo is concerned about his rep, then my sweet sis is even more so.
I think it is very nice if I can just splash my "intended" exploits here, but I shall not.
Blogging is not meant for the self. It is for others too. I don't mean you all are pesky voyeurs. It just means that the Internet is made that way. It's something that one realises after a while. No one can stop others from prying [even if they try Haha].
My stint as an anoyamous tagger just proves that we are all a) busybodies b) A Levels turn us into nut cases and in my case, a sadist. Haha.
Well. gtg. Happy Halloween, folks.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
What is going on??
A slap in the face. [not literally thank goodness]
Puzzling things happening.
I am taking cover.
I refuse to be plagued by strange creatures that infect tag places.
My motto is to hide in the face of danger.
Goodbye sweet friends...I shall vanish. This time it is unvoluntary. Curse you angelrulz!!! Or Rayun. Or whatever you are called.
Puzzling things happening.
I am taking cover.
I refuse to be plagued by strange creatures that infect tag places.
My motto is to hide in the face of danger.
Goodbye sweet friends...I shall vanish. This time it is unvoluntary. Curse you angelrulz!!! Or Rayun. Or whatever you are called.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Work work work
Truly. The problem with rain is that it is wet. How many times have you admired the rain, enjoying the blessedly cool and windy days it brings, only to be pissed off once you step out of your house, right into a fat puddle that soaks your shoes and make your feet gross and miserable? Ah well.
These few days have been wet. I suppose that said is enough.
Life at this time of the year is appalling. Am so sick of studying. I guess I feel like a pair of soaked shoes on a rainy day - wet and cold. What a dampener revision is. How many times have I felt so dissatisfied this week? With myself, with my FOOD and life in general. I won't say it cam't get worse because it CAN, which is why I feel so immobile. More studying means more pain and stress. Less studying means I'll die for the A's. So yup. Can't move forward can't move backwards. Know it hurts to advance but it hurts just as much to be left behind.
Am freaked out. So little little time... Ironically enough for regrets but not studying harder. Sometimes I wonder why we all work so hard. It kills the joy of learning. Learning is supposed to be fun, so why do I hate revising what I've learnt? Maybe because I hate looking back? Dun think so. Maybe its because revision is just plain boring. Yes that will be it. And also you never know what is going to come out for your exams.
Huh. Round and round we go. Never getting out of the system.
These few days have been wet. I suppose that said is enough.
Life at this time of the year is appalling. Am so sick of studying. I guess I feel like a pair of soaked shoes on a rainy day - wet and cold. What a dampener revision is. How many times have I felt so dissatisfied this week? With myself, with my FOOD and life in general. I won't say it cam't get worse because it CAN, which is why I feel so immobile. More studying means more pain and stress. Less studying means I'll die for the A's. So yup. Can't move forward can't move backwards. Know it hurts to advance but it hurts just as much to be left behind.
Am freaked out. So little little time... Ironically enough for regrets but not studying harder. Sometimes I wonder why we all work so hard. It kills the joy of learning. Learning is supposed to be fun, so why do I hate revising what I've learnt? Maybe because I hate looking back? Dun think so. Maybe its because revision is just plain boring. Yes that will be it. And also you never know what is going to come out for your exams.
Huh. Round and round we go. Never getting out of the system.
Friday, October 14, 2005
Things (Say it in a grossed out way)
Random Things
A good Bonding experience is defined by moi as getting together to do extremely messy/dusty/unpleasant/pointless things like cleaning the Lit Room. Hey. My wand has moved to a new place! It looks like the Orgre's toothpick now!!
The one problem with rain is that it is wet.
Hamsters ARE greedy. They abscond with sunflower seeds
I am not the only one who draws flowers on my notes - I have eyewitnesses
Paper goodies. Chew them before your geog A Level paper and results are guaranteed:
a real and excellent stomach ache!
Coconuts make good false horse clopping sounds
Always know the difference between an African swallow and a European one.
Remember folks. Stand tall as a tower karst. I think I shall remember that line forever, especially if anyone tries to make me go to Guilin for a holiday.
Love my tutors.
Mug!
Children scream, make loud and disturbing noises and say disturbing things like "I'm not a lesbian!"
A good Bonding experience is defined by moi as getting together to do extremely messy/dusty/unpleasant/pointless things like cleaning the Lit Room. Hey. My wand has moved to a new place! It looks like the Orgre's toothpick now!!
The one problem with rain is that it is wet.
Hamsters ARE greedy. They abscond with sunflower seeds
I am not the only one who draws flowers on my notes - I have eyewitnesses
Paper goodies. Chew them before your geog A Level paper and results are guaranteed:
a real and excellent stomach ache!
Coconuts make good false horse clopping sounds
Always know the difference between an African swallow and a European one.
Remember folks. Stand tall as a tower karst. I think I shall remember that line forever, especially if anyone tries to make me go to Guilin for a holiday.
Love my tutors.
Mug!
Children scream, make loud and disturbing noises and say disturbing things like "I'm not a lesbian!"
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Slip by before you know it
Today is Graduation Day. Waiting about ½ hr for the ceremony to start was agony. Especially when all you want to do was fall asleep. I didn't want to come either and sit through 3hrs of prize presentation and some ugly behaviour. Then, the VIP went and gave his speech, which was mainly a motivational life story kind of thing.
I have to confess that I switched off somewhere after he said that he had 'bad' grades for prelims [he got B,A,D,D]. I think most people who got that kind of grade would have made it onto the Honour Roll. If it was a pun it was badly executed, since no one really got the pun and most people ended up being insulted. I was too. Hello. He made my C,C,O look abysmal [they aren't even moderately good I agree, but still!] next to his 'bad' grades. It was only when me, PY and Jane were having lunch that I sort of realized that it COULD have been a pun. If it was, it was in bad taste anyway. (Haha)
The little fiasco made me want to go home. Thankfully, the event kicked off sometime just before 9, and I as I had been resigned to it beginning at 10, I was rather relieved. Then came that long prize giving thing which was too long. I'll pass over describing since it was uninteresting. I salute those who got the awards. They deserve it, though it was all boring. Boredom after all has nothing to do with the awardees. Such events are merely innately boring.
The highlight was of course videos! We watched like 3 videos. If not for the wonderfully sentimental, amusing and heartwarming quality of the video, I'll have been the most evil cynic and said the committee behind Graduation was uncreative. Thankfully, it was a great graduation ceremony and I must say I really appreciated the videos which featured among other things, rather dramatic scenes from Oz [remember the Wizard and Timekeeper aka Guy in violently violet shirt?], our wonderful wonderful teachers and my principal, who happens to be retiring this year.
CT was a really lovely time too. [Presents! =D] Well, apart from that I realized that I was really going to miss my class. It was such a surreal two years that have passed me by, almost like a dream. And like dreams, they slip away ever so quickly. There isn't a need to ramble on here, simply because such occasions defy words. All I can say is, I know I won't forget today. If I were to quote from one of my favourite movies (Spirited Away), it'll be from this scene where one of the characters explains that we never really forget; it just takes time to recall those particular memories. [I hope the Eng translation's accurate. I have known BIG errors in the dubbed version] So yup. I guess that's all, folks.
P.S. I checked on my wand [the one made with straws] and found that it was wedged between the cupboard and an ironing board , not the wall. I'm surprised it has survived till now.
P.P.S. My sis found this Lego horse which the Lego knight I got today is currently riding. So cute! Reminds me of Arcite [Chaucer's A Knight's Tale] who got kicked by his horse.
I have to confess that I switched off somewhere after he said that he had 'bad' grades for prelims [he got B,A,D,D]. I think most people who got that kind of grade would have made it onto the Honour Roll. If it was a pun it was badly executed, since no one really got the pun and most people ended up being insulted. I was too. Hello. He made my C,C,O look abysmal [they aren't even moderately good I agree, but still!] next to his 'bad' grades. It was only when me, PY and Jane were having lunch that I sort of realized that it COULD have been a pun. If it was, it was in bad taste anyway. (Haha)
The little fiasco made me want to go home. Thankfully, the event kicked off sometime just before 9, and I as I had been resigned to it beginning at 10, I was rather relieved. Then came that long prize giving thing which was too long. I'll pass over describing since it was uninteresting. I salute those who got the awards. They deserve it, though it was all boring. Boredom after all has nothing to do with the awardees. Such events are merely innately boring.
The highlight was of course videos! We watched like 3 videos. If not for the wonderfully sentimental, amusing and heartwarming quality of the video, I'll have been the most evil cynic and said the committee behind Graduation was uncreative. Thankfully, it was a great graduation ceremony and I must say I really appreciated the videos which featured among other things, rather dramatic scenes from Oz [remember the Wizard and Timekeeper aka Guy in violently violet shirt?], our wonderful wonderful teachers and my principal, who happens to be retiring this year.
CT was a really lovely time too. [Presents! =D] Well, apart from that I realized that I was really going to miss my class. It was such a surreal two years that have passed me by, almost like a dream. And like dreams, they slip away ever so quickly. There isn't a need to ramble on here, simply because such occasions defy words. All I can say is, I know I won't forget today. If I were to quote from one of my favourite movies (Spirited Away), it'll be from this scene where one of the characters explains that we never really forget; it just takes time to recall those particular memories. [I hope the Eng translation's accurate. I have known BIG errors in the dubbed version] So yup. I guess that's all, folks.
P.S. I checked on my wand [the one made with straws] and found that it was wedged between the cupboard and an ironing board , not the wall. I'm surprised it has survived till now.
P.P.S. My sis found this Lego horse which the Lego knight I got today is currently riding. So cute! Reminds me of Arcite [Chaucer's A Knight's Tale] who got kicked by his horse.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Let's try this again.
Right. The last time, I had a perfectly nice post which got eaten up by the blogger monster. Now, I'm taking no chances. Today, I am going to blog about well, things that are well pointless. In otherwords, I'm blogging for the sake of blogging. A matter of self-indulgence. Haha. It sounds like the first qn in my GP prelims essay section. As it is, Graduation Day is looming round the corner. Looking back, the past 1and 5/6 years have gone by like a blur. With Graduation coming up, I can't help but think back on all those things that I'm going to miss about NY. Sigh. Tings like Drama. My teachers [I mean tutors]. Even the canteen vendors. I got a free drink from the fruit juice aunty after Oz. I must say, I was really surprised, and of course really glad then too, especially like when I grabbed a bunch of straws free-of-charge to make a wand that eventually ended up stuck between a broom and a cupboard in the Lit Room.
Sentimentality hits again. Especially when you are this OLD. So my sister claims. [3 yrs is no diff I tell her] Age isn't a barrier and shouldn't be. I can be sentimental at 18 if I want to. Humph. Now I sound like a petulant 5 yr-old.
My plans for my first legal sip of alcohol has also been thawrted. Oh well. It's not like I feel 18 anyway. I'm me. For one thing, I'm still receiving very un-18 presents. My sis gave me this brilliantly orange stuff toy cat for my b-day. Yay! It's so cute! The cat wears a black pointed witch hat. Isn't that just cute? =D
Right. I shall just stop reminiscing before I bore myself to death. The As are 20 days away. I'm freaking out. Freak out...freak out...freak..out...
Sentimentality hits again. Especially when you are this OLD. So my sister claims. [3 yrs is no diff I tell her] Age isn't a barrier and shouldn't be. I can be sentimental at 18 if I want to. Humph. Now I sound like a petulant 5 yr-old.
My plans for my first legal sip of alcohol has also been thawrted. Oh well. It's not like I feel 18 anyway. I'm me. For one thing, I'm still receiving very un-18 presents. My sis gave me this brilliantly orange stuff toy cat for my b-day. Yay! It's so cute! The cat wears a black pointed witch hat. Isn't that just cute? =D
Right. I shall just stop reminiscing before I bore myself to death. The As are 20 days away. I'm freaking out. Freak out...freak out...freak..out...
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Evil Reigns...
Every year around my birthday, I will fall for the tricks of the same person. That highly innocent mask sure gets you somewhere. The saving grace is that I fall for a different trick every year. It is however nothing I am proud of, being hoodwinked by the same person year after year. Anyway, thanks for the gift, I love it. And it makes a great pillow too!
Friday, September 30, 2005
Hello Again
I am sick and tired of my comp. It's behaviour has reached the ultimate in all notorious comp behaviour. It lags. It doesn't boot properly. I can't go online. It REFUSES to shut down. That's it. Whatever sentimental reasons I have for prolonging the life of that sad piece of scrap metal is gone. Vanished. Up in smoke. Good. Now I feel better. Yay. For your information, I am not being a hypocrite. This is being typed out on my school's comp, which has also chosen to defy me, by preventing me, the user from migrating to the new server. This means that come Monday, I most probably won't have a backup plan to freely sponge off the school's free Internet service. Double yay.
Anyway, I've decided that the old cantakerous persona I gave my comp is dead. Or at least semi-paralysed from stroke or heart disease (in other words, Spyware and viruses most probably both or at least one of them). So maybe I can get a laptop you know...Haha
So, what is the point of this? Well actually nothing. I just had to blast my comp somehow... Now I feel slightly better.
OK, now on to more interesting things. I recently read Douglas Adams's Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe. It is one of the funniest books I've ever read. It is so funny I can't describe the kind of laughing it induced in me. I think the amusement waS partly from feeling post-prelims euphoria. The euphoria was supposed to last the weekend only. Somehow the damn "fun for all" feeling has transposed itself onto this week as well. Bad bad me. Must study you know.
In any case, if there are any sad or depressed souls out there, I suggest you read the Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe. It is a mockery of anything serious (and that includes Doomsday; in the book that happens on a nice Thursday). I guess it pays to have an alien friend. I feel quite relieved on this point. Hey Kappa, where do you park your spaceship?
The other book is I read is one that PY lent me. It is funny too, though the irony and sarcasm is easier to get. The lunacy level is lower too (thank goodness - i can't be reading mad books all the time). It's called "How I became Stupid" by Martin Page. Really nice book too. I intend to buy that, along with Sophie's World (when I find it)...
Happily, I am going to vanish again. It is so shitty but hey, maybe I'll get a new comp out of it...
Anyway, I've decided that the old cantakerous persona I gave my comp is dead. Or at least semi-paralysed from stroke or heart disease (in other words, Spyware and viruses most probably both or at least one of them). So maybe I can get a laptop you know...Haha
So, what is the point of this? Well actually nothing. I just had to blast my comp somehow... Now I feel slightly better.
OK, now on to more interesting things. I recently read Douglas Adams's Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe. It is one of the funniest books I've ever read. It is so funny I can't describe the kind of laughing it induced in me. I think the amusement waS partly from feeling post-prelims euphoria. The euphoria was supposed to last the weekend only. Somehow the damn "fun for all" feeling has transposed itself onto this week as well. Bad bad me. Must study you know.
In any case, if there are any sad or depressed souls out there, I suggest you read the Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe. It is a mockery of anything serious (and that includes Doomsday; in the book that happens on a nice Thursday). I guess it pays to have an alien friend. I feel quite relieved on this point. Hey Kappa, where do you park your spaceship?
The other book is I read is one that PY lent me. It is funny too, though the irony and sarcasm is easier to get. The lunacy level is lower too (thank goodness - i can't be reading mad books all the time). It's called "How I became Stupid" by Martin Page. Really nice book too. I intend to buy that, along with Sophie's World (when I find it)...
Happily, I am going to vanish again. It is so shitty but hey, maybe I'll get a new comp out of it...
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Learning Grace
Aha! The utterly villainous and insufferable blogger is back (SADLY enough for some.) Anyway as a NOTE OF IMPORTANCE, I am warning all who are looking for a serious post to set their sights elsewhere. Pronto. Muahahaha...
First of all, I would like to announce that I am going to vanish for the next two days. Feel free to tag all you want. I shan't be looking, which gives you evil taggers to rumble on and on. How effective I shall vanish depends on well, a) How well I'll get away with it and b) Whether I will even properly vanish. [Anyone who knows the following personally and am able to help are highly appreciated: Christopher Chant, Howl, Prof Dumbledore or Ganadlf (Gandalf is particularly useful. How many sorcerers, wizards and etc can disappear in the middle of a war and come back unlooked for days later with not unwelcome backup cavalry?) P.S. Funny how they are all not women either]
Next. Since I am leaving my blog alone for sometime (of which my disappearance which is NOT planned by me but forced by circumstances), and which is only a part of why I am leaving my blog alone, I have decided to give you a horribly long and didactic sermon on Learning Grace. This also happens to be the title of this post, which for some insane reason, I am extremely proud of.
Yesterday, I had lunch with Kappa. It was a nice lunch, at Han's in Park Mall. Kappa is finicky about service and wants her food brought to her by a waiter. The other choice was Jack's Place. Unfortunately I have no fancy for red meat just then (or salmon either) and apart from that, I had the most unfortunate experience dining there the last time. =(
The important however, is not the food. Kappa was just telling me about this repellent snoot from her night class. He offered to pay Kappa's friend money to teach him something to do with singing or something like that. The Repellent Snoot was from some JC Choir by the way. In any case, he said that his music school was in Geylang. Now we all know what that region is notorious for, so I won't go into details of the horrible experience the fickle-minded namby-pamby Repellent Snoot did by making the girls walk the seedy streets of Geylang at night in an attempt to find the school since the *&^%$^ can't be bothered to give them proper directions or offer to walk them from the bus stop.
Anyway, although Kappa and Co. were really pissed off by the Repellent Snoot (who acts as if he can throw away $$ like his father prints dollar notes for a living), Kappa maintained a kind of tact and calm in the face of the blustering moron and came out the winner, The thing to do, as Kappa tells me, is always to remain gracious to people of that unevolved sub-species of the human race, even if you are most likely seething with rage and want to tear him to pieces. I really wanted to. I for one cannot remain gracious in the light of such ungentlemanly and nauseating behaviour.
It reminds me how my mum has been complaining about our jolly neighbours again. Apparently, someone poured urine into my mum's rose bush. How nice. Free nutrients for the plant. Pity that comment only appeased my mum for like 5 secs. She has therefore adopted the front door and gate slamming aspect as revenge. Unfortunately, I know what that means. Violence begets violence. And yes. Measure still for measure. Its that dumb eye for an eye thing in one of my lit texts. However, trying to tell your mum to behave calmly and rationally in view of obnoxious neighbours is a no-no. She might turn on me instead and give me a good hiding for being less than respectful. Sadly, that also means that I shall have to endure all that door slamming. I hate it. The sound drives right to the back of my brain and exudes bad vibes. It is extremely distressing to both mental and physical health.
What I'm saying is, lets all treat others the way we want to be treated. The other thing is to never let your enemy know you've been truly irked by him/them/her. It defeats the purpose of showing them up. Besides, it's always nice to be nice. I still smile at my noxious neighbours. That is, until they go too far. Like maybe now.
First of all, I would like to announce that I am going to vanish for the next two days. Feel free to tag all you want. I shan't be looking, which gives you evil taggers to rumble on and on. How effective I shall vanish depends on well, a) How well I'll get away with it and b) Whether I will even properly vanish. [Anyone who knows the following personally and am able to help are highly appreciated: Christopher Chant, Howl, Prof Dumbledore or Ganadlf (Gandalf is particularly useful. How many sorcerers, wizards and etc can disappear in the middle of a war and come back unlooked for days later with not unwelcome backup cavalry?) P.S. Funny how they are all not women either]
Next. Since I am leaving my blog alone for sometime (of which my disappearance which is NOT planned by me but forced by circumstances), and which is only a part of why I am leaving my blog alone, I have decided to give you a horribly long and didactic sermon on Learning Grace. This also happens to be the title of this post, which for some insane reason, I am extremely proud of.
Yesterday, I had lunch with Kappa. It was a nice lunch, at Han's in Park Mall. Kappa is finicky about service and wants her food brought to her by a waiter. The other choice was Jack's Place. Unfortunately I have no fancy for red meat just then (or salmon either) and apart from that, I had the most unfortunate experience dining there the last time. =(
The important however, is not the food. Kappa was just telling me about this repellent snoot from her night class. He offered to pay Kappa's friend money to teach him something to do with singing or something like that. The Repellent Snoot was from some JC Choir by the way. In any case, he said that his music school was in Geylang. Now we all know what that region is notorious for, so I won't go into details of the horrible experience the fickle-minded namby-pamby Repellent Snoot did by making the girls walk the seedy streets of Geylang at night in an attempt to find the school since the *&^%$^ can't be bothered to give them proper directions or offer to walk them from the bus stop.
Anyway, although Kappa and Co. were really pissed off by the Repellent Snoot (who acts as if he can throw away $$ like his father prints dollar notes for a living), Kappa maintained a kind of tact and calm in the face of the blustering moron and came out the winner, The thing to do, as Kappa tells me, is always to remain gracious to people of that unevolved sub-species of the human race, even if you are most likely seething with rage and want to tear him to pieces. I really wanted to. I for one cannot remain gracious in the light of such ungentlemanly and nauseating behaviour.
It reminds me how my mum has been complaining about our jolly neighbours again. Apparently, someone poured urine into my mum's rose bush. How nice. Free nutrients for the plant. Pity that comment only appeased my mum for like 5 secs. She has therefore adopted the front door and gate slamming aspect as revenge. Unfortunately, I know what that means. Violence begets violence. And yes. Measure still for measure. Its that dumb eye for an eye thing in one of my lit texts. However, trying to tell your mum to behave calmly and rationally in view of obnoxious neighbours is a no-no. She might turn on me instead and give me a good hiding for being less than respectful. Sadly, that also means that I shall have to endure all that door slamming. I hate it. The sound drives right to the back of my brain and exudes bad vibes. It is extremely distressing to both mental and physical health.
What I'm saying is, lets all treat others the way we want to be treated. The other thing is to never let your enemy know you've been truly irked by him/them/her. It defeats the purpose of showing them up. Besides, it's always nice to be nice. I still smile at my noxious neighbours. That is, until they go too far. Like maybe now.
The beauties in the world are best seen by those who strive to see them
- Unknown
- Unknown
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Seriously Funny Business
Well then. My exams are finally over. Actually not really. I've still my Lit PC paper tomorrow. Of course I'm celebrating a day earlier! Haha. Already what I'm blogging is making me feel the tiniest bit guilty. I shall look through my skills notes tonight then, when I can finally stop torturing myself by refusing my poor eyes sleep and scaring everyone in the dead of the night by getting up at 3am in the morning to study. I had just switched on the living room light and sat down with my pillow when my mum came out of her room and stared at me.
"What are you doing with your blanket over your head?"
Obviously I was studying. What else could I be doing, especially when your eyes are watering and itchy from a lack of sleep? Happily that stage of the prelims are over and I do not have to face the evil Geog paper until 6 weeks later. Well. Suppose I'm just glad that I can take a break for a while before getting back to you-know-what.
Until then, I shall just be happy revising day in and out I guess. =(
Why isn't the "gahmen" laughing? [Ppl who have read the sat paper will know what I'm talkin abt]
I've just been thinking about the white elephant issue at the Buangkok station. I don't know about you, but I was really amused by the cardboard cutouts. Speaks a lot without having to say anything you know... Anyway my question is simply why is the government so upset? Personally I cannot understand why they would be so unhappy. Wait. Maybe I can. No authority would want to be slighted so rudely. However, I see the white elephants as merely a joke. OK, So the person was trying to protest against something. The fact is, we've really come a long way from the Hock Lee bus rioting days. Must there be such a hue and cry over who the culprit is? The thing is, to me, just about anybody who lives near Buangkok would hope the station opens. Anyone can also easily interpret the station as a metaphorical white elephant.
After all, it has been closed for the time ever since NEL opened. Even if the protest came in the form of a polite letter to the town council, it will still be a protest. Perhaps it is wrong or rebellious or plain rudeto say so, but funny, the elephants really made me laugh.
"What are you doing with your blanket over your head?"
Obviously I was studying. What else could I be doing, especially when your eyes are watering and itchy from a lack of sleep? Happily that stage of the prelims are over and I do not have to face the evil Geog paper until 6 weeks later. Well. Suppose I'm just glad that I can take a break for a while before getting back to you-know-what.
Until then, I shall just be happy revising day in and out I guess. =(
Why isn't the "gahmen" laughing? [Ppl who have read the sat paper will know what I'm talkin abt]
I've just been thinking about the white elephant issue at the Buangkok station. I don't know about you, but I was really amused by the cardboard cutouts. Speaks a lot without having to say anything you know... Anyway my question is simply why is the government so upset? Personally I cannot understand why they would be so unhappy. Wait. Maybe I can. No authority would want to be slighted so rudely. However, I see the white elephants as merely a joke. OK, So the person was trying to protest against something. The fact is, we've really come a long way from the Hock Lee bus rioting days. Must there be such a hue and cry over who the culprit is? The thing is, to me, just about anybody who lives near Buangkok would hope the station opens. Anyone can also easily interpret the station as a metaphorical white elephant.
After all, it has been closed for the time ever since NEL opened. Even if the protest came in the form of a polite letter to the town council, it will still be a protest. Perhaps it is wrong or rebellious or plain rudeto say so, but funny, the elephants really made me laugh.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Why? (or That post on anything remotely to do with exams)
I think that if Shakespeare is still alive today, he will be highly amused by us Lit students poring frantically over his works. If he were alive, it would clear up a lot of the contradictory views on his plays. It is even worse when the one of the themes of his play is on OPPOSITES.
Sigh.
This indomitable warrior wants to go to sleep!
"If thought has attempted and failed,
lose not courage
O indomitable warrior,
Fight and return to the charge still and always"
Saw this quote plastered all over school (well not really, but I saw it in the library and I-Space or Ice-Space whatever it is called) and have been itching to post it for sometime. Just never got round to it.
Funny how it doesn't sound very motivational. I found it funny in fact. However if anyone does need a morale booster well, may it do you all the good a poster can.
Sigh.
This indomitable warrior wants to go to sleep!
"If thought has attempted and failed,
lose not courage
O indomitable warrior,
Fight and return to the charge still and always"
Saw this quote plastered all over school (well not really, but I saw it in the library and I-Space or Ice-Space whatever it is called) and have been itching to post it for sometime. Just never got round to it.
Funny how it doesn't sound very motivational. I found it funny in fact. However if anyone does need a morale booster well, may it do you all the good a poster can.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Random thoughts that are not really random. Actually.
On English literature criticism:
I have no idea what Harold Bloom* is saying. I sometimes think that he is trying to sound like the high-brow English professor that he mostly probably really is.
On kids running around in KFC during lunch:
Smile and sympathise with the cleaner aunty. She can't run after them.
On the kid hiding next to the trash bin in KFC:
Hey kid. Why don't you hide IN the rubbish bin instead. There, your comrades won't ever find you... Hopefully they'll leave you behind when they go home too.
On the parents/child minders of kids running around in KFC during lunch:
Please don't take an hour to purchase just one reg. Coke. It looks so bad. Especially when you have 5 children jumping on the plastic seats. By the way...did I mention that you make horrible child minders/parents?
On Toa Payoh Library:
Too...many...familiar...faces...
On seeing familiar faces:
It can be both a good and bad thing.
On the 7pm Chinese period drama on Channel 8 (weekdays):
I cannot fathom WHY my sister likes to watch it. Actually I find myself quite taken with the show too, which MYSTERIOUSLY ENOUGH, advocates the wonders of the Singapore Education System and the benefits of academic advancement to the individual and the intrinsic capitalistic value to the country. (I won't say anything about NS)
On reading Sophie's World:
Funny, but I think I've been introduced to Aristotle throughout my life. It hasn't been a very long life, but still... Biology, the Sciences (especially Biology), Chaucer and the First Mover thingy. Being organised. I am constantly reminded of the fact that I am messy daily by my dear Mum.
On watching Scrapped Princess:
I wonder...that blob monster looks awfully (no pun intended) familiar... Did I see it in Princess Mononoke?
Lastly and speaking of Hayao Miyazaki... I find several parallels between him and S.T. Coleridge. Good excuse to watch movies as part of revision...the wonders of Lit.
* Harold Bloom needs no introduction in the world of a A level Literature student. If you aren't one, just pick up any book on A level lit (especially one on Shakespeare) and chances are, it has H. Bloom in it somewhere. Try the first few pages. Chances are, he is the editor if not writer. Talk about unique views...
I have no idea what Harold Bloom* is saying. I sometimes think that he is trying to sound like the high-brow English professor that he mostly probably really is.
On kids running around in KFC during lunch:
Smile and sympathise with the cleaner aunty. She can't run after them.
On the kid hiding next to the trash bin in KFC:
Hey kid. Why don't you hide IN the rubbish bin instead. There, your comrades won't ever find you... Hopefully they'll leave you behind when they go home too.
On the parents/child minders of kids running around in KFC during lunch:
Please don't take an hour to purchase just one reg. Coke. It looks so bad. Especially when you have 5 children jumping on the plastic seats. By the way...did I mention that you make horrible child minders/parents?
On Toa Payoh Library:
Too...many...familiar...faces...
On seeing familiar faces:
It can be both a good and bad thing.
On the 7pm Chinese period drama on Channel 8 (weekdays):
I cannot fathom WHY my sister likes to watch it. Actually I find myself quite taken with the show too, which MYSTERIOUSLY ENOUGH, advocates the wonders of the Singapore Education System and the benefits of academic advancement to the individual and the intrinsic capitalistic value to the country. (I won't say anything about NS)
On reading Sophie's World:
Funny, but I think I've been introduced to Aristotle throughout my life. It hasn't been a very long life, but still... Biology, the Sciences (especially Biology), Chaucer and the First Mover thingy. Being organised. I am constantly reminded of the fact that I am messy daily by my dear Mum.
On watching Scrapped Princess:
I wonder...that blob monster looks awfully (no pun intended) familiar... Did I see it in Princess Mononoke?
Lastly and speaking of Hayao Miyazaki... I find several parallels between him and S.T. Coleridge. Good excuse to watch movies as part of revision...the wonders of Lit.
* Harold Bloom needs no introduction in the world of a A level Literature student. If you aren't one, just pick up any book on A level lit (especially one on Shakespeare) and chances are, it has H. Bloom in it somewhere. Try the first few pages. Chances are, he is the editor if not writer. Talk about unique views...
Thursday, September 01, 2005
On 31st September 2005
Sidelined. Marginalised. Peripherified.
I'm a J2 for heaven's sake.
Ineffieciency at its best.
Rise, sir, from this semi-recumbent posture. It is most indecorous. - The result of studying "Importance of Being Earnest" by O. Wilde. =D
Thought I might as well post what some of the things happened on Wed. That would have been yesterday. Went back to Beatty. Think I went loony going back down memory lane. Wondered why I never got to know my clasmates better. They are such a lovely bunch of people. That means you too Al. I promise a drink and lunch. Cheers!!
I'm a J2 for heaven's sake.
Ineffieciency at its best.
Rise, sir, from this semi-recumbent posture. It is most indecorous. - The result of studying "Importance of Being Earnest" by O. Wilde. =D
Thought I might as well post what some of the things happened on Wed. That would have been yesterday. Went back to Beatty. Think I went loony going back down memory lane. Wondered why I never got to know my clasmates better. They are such a lovely bunch of people. That means you too Al. I promise a drink and lunch. Cheers!!
What is the world coming to?
Now, for the past few mornings, in fact I should say few weeks, i've been observing something that annoys me very much. on most mornings, on my way to school, I'll pass a primary school girl on her way to school, in the opposite direction that I usually head. I shall not name the school, though it's pretty obvious if you know what primary school happens to be in my vicinity.
So, everyday, I'll see her whizzing by on her skate skooter. Dear readers, I'm sure you all know what that stupid thing is... if you don't, it is something like the thing the Po teletubby likes to ride on. The thing is, she does look extremely adorable in it. The problem is, her maid with pink school bag in tow has to run after that zooming behemoth every morning. Times like this, I wonder who is to blame. Her parents? The media? Or simply the girl herself? Maybe it is the maid. However I find myself doubting the last theory of mine.
I think that the sense of dignity of a person no matter the job... no wait, the job IS important. Pride and self-esteem is all the more important in the jobs most people consider lowly. So what. Just because someone is a maid does not mean that as the employer you can let your child treat the person who cooks and cleans after her to chase after a mere girl. It is hardly graceful behaviour and reflects the general opinion I have of Singaporeans - uncouth and self-centered. So let me hit myself. Hey. I'm a Singaporean too.
It puzzles me very much that we should have so little faith in our fellow countrymen. Somehow I don't think that that is normal in any country outside of here. Ah... But that is the faithless me talking again isn't it?
So let us just focus on the girl's family instead. No need to drag in the whole of our sunny tropical island. Sometimes I wonder what parents are teaching children nowadays. It is really upsetting to think that the girl with such an innocent look on her face would be behaving so rudely to her elder. I watched for other people's reaction to the interesting duo. When a well-dressed wman stared at the scene unfolding begore her eyes, the maid stopped running. But I know she has been running for the past few days. At least she seems to be preserving some sense of dignity.
Why should she run? Just because you are a maid doesn't mean you should subject yourself to the every whim and fancy of others. One should respect oneself. And one should respect others. I hope for the day when the maid will be skate skootering beside the girl. Really I do.
So, everyday, I'll see her whizzing by on her skate skooter. Dear readers, I'm sure you all know what that stupid thing is... if you don't, it is something like the thing the Po teletubby likes to ride on. The thing is, she does look extremely adorable in it. The problem is, her maid with pink school bag in tow has to run after that zooming behemoth every morning. Times like this, I wonder who is to blame. Her parents? The media? Or simply the girl herself? Maybe it is the maid. However I find myself doubting the last theory of mine.
I think that the sense of dignity of a person no matter the job... no wait, the job IS important. Pride and self-esteem is all the more important in the jobs most people consider lowly. So what. Just because someone is a maid does not mean that as the employer you can let your child treat the person who cooks and cleans after her to chase after a mere girl. It is hardly graceful behaviour and reflects the general opinion I have of Singaporeans - uncouth and self-centered. So let me hit myself. Hey. I'm a Singaporean too.
It puzzles me very much that we should have so little faith in our fellow countrymen. Somehow I don't think that that is normal in any country outside of here. Ah... But that is the faithless me talking again isn't it?
So let us just focus on the girl's family instead. No need to drag in the whole of our sunny tropical island. Sometimes I wonder what parents are teaching children nowadays. It is really upsetting to think that the girl with such an innocent look on her face would be behaving so rudely to her elder. I watched for other people's reaction to the interesting duo. When a well-dressed wman stared at the scene unfolding begore her eyes, the maid stopped running. But I know she has been running for the past few days. At least she seems to be preserving some sense of dignity.
Why should she run? Just because you are a maid doesn't mean you should subject yourself to the every whim and fancy of others. One should respect oneself. And one should respect others. I hope for the day when the maid will be skate skootering beside the girl. Really I do.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
The Epic Trudge
Off we went, the three of us,
To our farewell party via a bus.
We reached the East Coast, and looked all round.
To our horror, we three found,
That Pit 61 was on the other end of the coast.
Boy were we toast.
Thus we began, our epic journey, from Pit 5
And walked on, determined, that for all our lives
We would surely make it there in one piece or otherwise.
We advanced, past Pit after Pit, footsore and weary. (Let's hijack bikes.)
On and on, the beach was a vast sea of sand and wind,
Punctuated by alternating pit and pitless lands; the horror it seemed,
When we past a deserted coast and Pit 45 was no where in sight.
A curse and a blight!
On whoever booked the pit!
Unfortunately, there was no way we could rest or sit,
For fear we'll be later than we already were.
Past the deflation hollow (an empty lake),
We walked on, blisters and all. And followed,
A bunch of boys, who might've been as lost as we were.
Cursing the J1s (though it wasn't their fault)
Wondering if being stabbed by pinecones was worth the walk.
I think I can see Changi.
Even worse, "Bedok" was the name of the jetty.
All the way from Marine Parade. I'm happy though,
For I see familiar faces, ready to accept us into their fold,
Though we walked right up to the pit, and no one (at first) noticed us.
We sat down on the stools, the result of an hour and half's march.
Don't ask me why we didn't take a cab, and for good measure I'll highlight where we began, and what major landmarks we saw...
Started near the old road safety park. Walked past Barbecue Pit 22++ near Mac. Past Costa Sands (Pit 30-40++). Past the No Signboard Seafood and Long Beach Restaurant. No Pits here. Walked ROUND enormous empty lake under construction. Then through a hawker centre. Found ourselves at the end of EC, near car park F2.
I had lots of fun last night, despite the stupid walk. If anything, the absurdity of our arrival made the party even more memorable. There was not bad food, though BBQ onion rings are a bit strange. Played Frisbee and Monkey. It was great fun, though I kinda wished everyone could make it...so few turned up, no doubt the effect of the oncoming prelims...All in all, a party to remember, especially photo taking sessions and the free smoke machine courtesy of the J1 (the BBQ had a lot of smoke), lovely special effects turned out in some of the cameras. I’m gonna miss drama. Never really wanted it to end. Even the sleepless nights and exhaustive and stressful bits.
To our farewell party via a bus.
We reached the East Coast, and looked all round.
To our horror, we three found,
That Pit 61 was on the other end of the coast.
Boy were we toast.
Thus we began, our epic journey, from Pit 5
And walked on, determined, that for all our lives
We would surely make it there in one piece or otherwise.
We advanced, past Pit after Pit, footsore and weary. (Let's hijack bikes.)
On and on, the beach was a vast sea of sand and wind,
Punctuated by alternating pit and pitless lands; the horror it seemed,
When we past a deserted coast and Pit 45 was no where in sight.
A curse and a blight!
On whoever booked the pit!
Unfortunately, there was no way we could rest or sit,
For fear we'll be later than we already were.
Past the deflation hollow (an empty lake),
We walked on, blisters and all. And followed,
A bunch of boys, who might've been as lost as we were.
Cursing the J1s (though it wasn't their fault)
Wondering if being stabbed by pinecones was worth the walk.
I think I can see Changi.
Even worse, "Bedok" was the name of the jetty.
All the way from Marine Parade. I'm happy though,
For I see familiar faces, ready to accept us into their fold,
Though we walked right up to the pit, and no one (at first) noticed us.
We sat down on the stools, the result of an hour and half's march.
Don't ask me why we didn't take a cab, and for good measure I'll highlight where we began, and what major landmarks we saw...
Started near the old road safety park. Walked past Barbecue Pit 22++ near Mac. Past Costa Sands (Pit 30-40++). Past the No Signboard Seafood and Long Beach Restaurant. No Pits here. Walked ROUND enormous empty lake under construction. Then through a hawker centre. Found ourselves at the end of EC, near car park F2.
I had lots of fun last night, despite the stupid walk. If anything, the absurdity of our arrival made the party even more memorable. There was not bad food, though BBQ onion rings are a bit strange. Played Frisbee and Monkey. It was great fun, though I kinda wished everyone could make it...so few turned up, no doubt the effect of the oncoming prelims...All in all, a party to remember, especially photo taking sessions and the free smoke machine courtesy of the J1 (the BBQ had a lot of smoke), lovely special effects turned out in some of the cameras. I’m gonna miss drama. Never really wanted it to end. Even the sleepless nights and exhaustive and stressful bits.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Chaotic times
Ah yes. The spanking new TVs decorating my school compound are happily flashing the news: 7 days to Prelims!! I feel so happy. I should be studying. In fact I'm going to, after blogging though. Am now waiting for Geog lect to start. Spent last Tuesday with the similar situation of waiting around, nothing to do. Oh well. Life's like that.
So.. this is going to be a random blog. Few things to say. No.1. Sorry Kappa, I can't go out with you to enjoy your b-day present. Really and truly and absolutely sorry I'm gonna miss the concert!! I am getting mushy, which is a bad sign. Then again, I've been getting a lot of bad signs lately.
In Harbin, your breath mists in front of your face when you breathe. We are all smokers! Ice isn't cold to the touch when your hand is colder than ice. Ice slabs are really good to sit on though... My face was really cold...felt as if my nose had fallen off...kept touching it to see if it was there. Being a general klutz, I fell down on the snow slide, before even getting on the float thingy for the slide...shit. lol. Was really winded, because falling on ice is NOT a good thing...the coldness of the shock gets to you. Had apple strudel after that. Anything warm to taste after -10 degree celsius weather is good.
Broke my no coffee rule that day. Bad time to be doing that...coffee was really gross. Even seasoned coffee drinkers like my aunts said it was appalling. Sigh. Coffee has no effect on me. Was stoning by 8pm. Fell asleep round 10+ that night (Sunday) waiting for hair to dry out after bath.
Maybe coffee wasn't strong enough.
Go to www.animalinyou.com
This is a decidedly unconformist creature, for as an airborne personality, the bat tends to look down at the conventions of the ground animals. And yet, since it is not a true bird and having not mastered the art of smooth controlled flight, it often appears awkward in social situations. (Hence the term -- acting batty). But as compensation for this social ungainliness, many bat personalities sport a built-in radar, which enables them to intuitively read the motivations of others.
Identifying bat personalities is not difficult. Being nocturnal creatures, they come alive at night and can be spotted in underground clubs or dimly lit bars. They prefer the sanctuary of dark clothing and dark corners, and you'll never see a bat sporting a heavy tan. These are intelligent, spiritual, creative individuals who use their full range of senses (other than their poor eyesight) to carefully navigate their way through life.
Bats have a habit of flitting in and out of social situations, swooping down to interact briefly with others before quickly flying off to resume their bat lives. Unassertive and aloof, they'll take flight at the first hint of a confrontation to seek comfort in their personal spaces that are decorated in unusual but expressive ways. The bat's sixth sense gives it a number of advantages in its work, and its insightful nature enables it to understand others better than it understands itself.
In the romance department, bats are enamored with the idea of love more than they are with its colder realities. Decidedly untraditional, they are prone to flights of extraordinary fantasy -- and it's not the traditional Ken and Barbie type of romance that tickles its fancy either. It's the Bram Stoker kind: dark, moody and gothic.
Bat personalities have an enormous sense of loyalty and if you ever do a favor for a bat, it will never relax until it has paid you back. In fact, in nature, the bat is the only animal (other than man) to demonstrate true altruism when unrelated individuals will unselfishly offer food to a cave-mate without expectation anything in return. This powerful sense of quid pro quo is one of the defining characteristics of the bat personality and anyone should consider themselves lucky to be in a bat's good graces.
Bats have no strong yearning for parenthood, for the kind of ego gratification that comes with having one's own children doesn't appeal to its karmic temperament. They are instead quite content to satisfy their maternal or paternal instincts by adopting or merely baby-sitting. If they do have children, they prove to be perfunctory parents: methodical yet unconventional . Still, bats place great emphasis on ethics and morality and insist that their children be indoctrinated in the values of good citizenship.
So.. this is going to be a random blog. Few things to say. No.1. Sorry Kappa, I can't go out with you to enjoy your b-day present. Really and truly and absolutely sorry I'm gonna miss the concert!! I am getting mushy, which is a bad sign. Then again, I've been getting a lot of bad signs lately.
In Harbin, your breath mists in front of your face when you breathe. We are all smokers! Ice isn't cold to the touch when your hand is colder than ice. Ice slabs are really good to sit on though... My face was really cold...felt as if my nose had fallen off...kept touching it to see if it was there. Being a general klutz, I fell down on the snow slide, before even getting on the float thingy for the slide...shit. lol. Was really winded, because falling on ice is NOT a good thing...the coldness of the shock gets to you. Had apple strudel after that. Anything warm to taste after -10 degree celsius weather is good.
Broke my no coffee rule that day. Bad time to be doing that...coffee was really gross. Even seasoned coffee drinkers like my aunts said it was appalling. Sigh. Coffee has no effect on me. Was stoning by 8pm. Fell asleep round 10+ that night (Sunday) waiting for hair to dry out after bath.
Maybe coffee wasn't strong enough.
Go to www.animalinyou.com
This is a decidedly unconformist creature, for as an airborne personality, the bat tends to look down at the conventions of the ground animals. And yet, since it is not a true bird and having not mastered the art of smooth controlled flight, it often appears awkward in social situations. (Hence the term -- acting batty). But as compensation for this social ungainliness, many bat personalities sport a built-in radar, which enables them to intuitively read the motivations of others.
Identifying bat personalities is not difficult. Being nocturnal creatures, they come alive at night and can be spotted in underground clubs or dimly lit bars. They prefer the sanctuary of dark clothing and dark corners, and you'll never see a bat sporting a heavy tan. These are intelligent, spiritual, creative individuals who use their full range of senses (other than their poor eyesight) to carefully navigate their way through life.
Bats have a habit of flitting in and out of social situations, swooping down to interact briefly with others before quickly flying off to resume their bat lives. Unassertive and aloof, they'll take flight at the first hint of a confrontation to seek comfort in their personal spaces that are decorated in unusual but expressive ways. The bat's sixth sense gives it a number of advantages in its work, and its insightful nature enables it to understand others better than it understands itself.
In the romance department, bats are enamored with the idea of love more than they are with its colder realities. Decidedly untraditional, they are prone to flights of extraordinary fantasy -- and it's not the traditional Ken and Barbie type of romance that tickles its fancy either. It's the Bram Stoker kind: dark, moody and gothic.
Bat personalities have an enormous sense of loyalty and if you ever do a favor for a bat, it will never relax until it has paid you back. In fact, in nature, the bat is the only animal (other than man) to demonstrate true altruism when unrelated individuals will unselfishly offer food to a cave-mate without expectation anything in return. This powerful sense of quid pro quo is one of the defining characteristics of the bat personality and anyone should consider themselves lucky to be in a bat's good graces.
Bats have no strong yearning for parenthood, for the kind of ego gratification that comes with having one's own children doesn't appeal to its karmic temperament. They are instead quite content to satisfy their maternal or paternal instincts by adopting or merely baby-sitting. If they do have children, they prove to be perfunctory parents: methodical yet unconventional . Still, bats place great emphasis on ethics and morality and insist that their children be indoctrinated in the values of good citizenship.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Hit/Run
You know, sometimes things just hit you and you end up flying back a mile or more. I've just gained access to my school's new server and there are tons to copy from my tutors' private files. Everything from tutorials to lecture notes and extra readings. Then I mail them to my classmate. I SO need to buy printer ink. Why am I procrastinating. All that work (the size of a mini mountain at the least) are the result of not bothering to migrate to a new server. Yup. I feel like I'm caught up in a backwash dating a few months worth of work. Actually I don't feel it, I'm trapped in it literally. It is quite a shock for me...all that things to read and do. I'll be having a busy weekend. And printer ink...been printing multi-coloured notes since one printer prints blue ink and the other has been reduced to doing red ink. I'm in a mess.
Funny, I've been repeating the same thing over and over again. Well, I guess the impact is just so strong. Serves me right for running away from all that. Must be the approaching prelims (12 days and counting!). So yeah, I don't know why I'm blogging this...except that...all my friends out there doing their 'A' levels....good luck. We're in the deep end now and it's about time I woke up to that...
Funny, I've been repeating the same thing over and over again. Well, I guess the impact is just so strong. Serves me right for running away from all that. Must be the approaching prelims (12 days and counting!). So yeah, I don't know why I'm blogging this...except that...all my friends out there doing their 'A' levels....good luck. We're in the deep end now and it's about time I woke up to that...
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Timetabling woes and other stuff
Today might just rank as no. 1 of The Top 10 Most Pointless Days of 2005. Let's see...most Tuesdays are usually pointless anyway. It's the day I spend more time waiting for classes to start than actually attending something useful. Here is my normal Tuesday timetable:
0740-0840: Geog lecture
0840-0940: Lit tutorial
0940-1110: break
1110-1210: ct
[which is a sort of form teacher's period for all the admin and occasional enrichment things]
1210-1340: GP
1545-1800max: Geog lecture
Today's pointless timetable:
0740-0840: Geog lecture
1210-1340: GP
That's it. Yup. I've to wait 4hrs for a lesson. Yay. The 2nd geog lect was cancelled because the tutor is sick. Ah well. I've got the whole day to do revision and homework. I expect I should somehow feel happy...hey...there is also free internet!
Right. somehow I had an ominous feeling that today was going to be a day of pointlessness.
See. My day began with this announcement at assembly: "I will now read out to you students a message from the principal of a certain sec sch...So went on the message...blah blah blah. It was abt some J1 from my JC who had yanked two misbehaving sec students back to thier school to be dealt with. The mesage ended with a grand and ostentatious praise of this J1 - 'I congratulate him on his moral courage..." in the hope that all of you should emulate him and bring glory to our JC. Oh yes.
I cannot help but think that the congratulatory email was slightly out of place. Praise for reporting on misbehaving students? I've this impression that it is like praising someone for being nosy. It is silly to magnify the litle things in life. If we were to go on glorifying the little things in life whose true merits are dubious I shudder to think what will happen to us. Oh let's trumpet gloriously on about our 'clean & green' environment. May I know why it is so clean and green? Oh. It's because no one dares to litter for fear of that $10000 fine.
Things like reminding others of proper behaviour and disposing litter responsibly are things that are EXPECTED. Just because someone reported the students doesn't mean it is right because the sch think it is. I just can't help thinking that the J1 should have just told off the students. Was there really a need to report them? Of course there is the issue of the degree of misbehaviour - was it just being noisy? Or vandalism? Or something worse like harrassing the public? Whatever it was, punishment does not change such behaviour overnight. Instilling fear only makes one cynical and rebellious. And maybe, that's what I am.
0740-0840: Geog lecture
0840-0940: Lit tutorial
0940-1110: break
1110-1210: ct
[which is a sort of form teacher's period for all the admin and occasional enrichment things]
1210-1340: GP
1545-1800max: Geog lecture
Today's pointless timetable:
0740-0840: Geog lecture
1210-1340: GP
That's it. Yup. I've to wait 4hrs for a lesson. Yay. The 2nd geog lect was cancelled because the tutor is sick. Ah well. I've got the whole day to do revision and homework. I expect I should somehow feel happy...hey...there is also free internet!
Right. somehow I had an ominous feeling that today was going to be a day of pointlessness.
See. My day began with this announcement at assembly: "I will now read out to you students a message from the principal of a certain sec sch...So went on the message...blah blah blah. It was abt some J1 from my JC who had yanked two misbehaving sec students back to thier school to be dealt with. The mesage ended with a grand and ostentatious praise of this J1 - 'I congratulate him on his moral courage..." in the hope that all of you should emulate him and bring glory to our JC. Oh yes.
I cannot help but think that the congratulatory email was slightly out of place. Praise for reporting on misbehaving students? I've this impression that it is like praising someone for being nosy. It is silly to magnify the litle things in life. If we were to go on glorifying the little things in life whose true merits are dubious I shudder to think what will happen to us. Oh let's trumpet gloriously on about our 'clean & green' environment. May I know why it is so clean and green? Oh. It's because no one dares to litter for fear of that $10000 fine.
Things like reminding others of proper behaviour and disposing litter responsibly are things that are EXPECTED. Just because someone reported the students doesn't mean it is right because the sch think it is. I just can't help thinking that the J1 should have just told off the students. Was there really a need to report them? Of course there is the issue of the degree of misbehaviour - was it just being noisy? Or vandalism? Or something worse like harrassing the public? Whatever it was, punishment does not change such behaviour overnight. Instilling fear only makes one cynical and rebellious. And maybe, that's what I am.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Shh!
Am so tired. Too...tired...to...blog... Haha. I AM blogging, which is the irony of it all. After 2hrs++ of Econs mock prelims today, my hands feel like lead. For some strange reason, my left hand aches too. Could it have been due to the Hazelnut dance yesterday? Well. I do not wish to post anything in relation to my least favourite subject. U might like it, Kappa - it is a very evil subject.
Anyway, PY, Jane and me went to the National Library to study. We had lunch before that at the Food Court. Poor PY found ham slices in her supposedly vegetarian spaghetti - the nerve of some cooks. The ham tasted gross too...like plastic.
The NL was really nice. Didn't like it initially - it was obstructing my way to Bras Basah, and I recall being forced to walk on the double yellow lines on the fringe of Victoria Road when the NL was still in its construction stage. So many cars...it was quite scary. But that is besides the point. Today marks my first visit to the newly constructed National Library, and it is really a beautiful building, inside and outside. There is this zen-like landscaping with lots of bamboo trees, and black/white pebble paths. It looks so cooling and airy compared to all that concrete. The whole building comprises of vast glassy panels, and looks a tad too futuristic, but if u look at SMU just down the street and I guess the architecture is comparable, though SMU has a wavy glass facade that looks as if it is about to topple anytime.
When u enter, u are greeted by a blast of cold air, which Jane tells me, is due to changes in the air pressure...cool. The building looks fantastic in the interior too...lots of glass linkways that criss cross the various levels...very very sci-fi. And the silence. U sound like u are yelling when u are really whispering as softly as u can. They say silence is golden, but I would have given anything for a bit of noise. It feels like you are sitting in a vacumm when it is too quiet.
Spent an afternoon there. Was completely disoriented when we left the building - one gets the feeling that u are on the same floor all the time because each floor is structured similarly. Only changes are floor tile colours. It doesn't help if u've contracted a headache reading tourism notes...well. Will stop here I guess. My fingers are dropping off...
Anyway, PY, Jane and me went to the National Library to study. We had lunch before that at the Food Court. Poor PY found ham slices in her supposedly vegetarian spaghetti - the nerve of some cooks. The ham tasted gross too...like plastic.
The NL was really nice. Didn't like it initially - it was obstructing my way to Bras Basah, and I recall being forced to walk on the double yellow lines on the fringe of Victoria Road when the NL was still in its construction stage. So many cars...it was quite scary. But that is besides the point. Today marks my first visit to the newly constructed National Library, and it is really a beautiful building, inside and outside. There is this zen-like landscaping with lots of bamboo trees, and black/white pebble paths. It looks so cooling and airy compared to all that concrete. The whole building comprises of vast glassy panels, and looks a tad too futuristic, but if u look at SMU just down the street and I guess the architecture is comparable, though SMU has a wavy glass facade that looks as if it is about to topple anytime.
When u enter, u are greeted by a blast of cold air, which Jane tells me, is due to changes in the air pressure...cool. The building looks fantastic in the interior too...lots of glass linkways that criss cross the various levels...very very sci-fi. And the silence. U sound like u are yelling when u are really whispering as softly as u can. They say silence is golden, but I would have given anything for a bit of noise. It feels like you are sitting in a vacumm when it is too quiet.
Spent an afternoon there. Was completely disoriented when we left the building - one gets the feeling that u are on the same floor all the time because each floor is structured similarly. Only changes are floor tile colours. It doesn't help if u've contracted a headache reading tourism notes...well. Will stop here I guess. My fingers are dropping off...
Friday, August 12, 2005
Twisted jelly and pretzel legs.
Can't BELIEVE the things they make you do fpr P.E. OK. So Teacher's Day is coming and say, why don't we learn some social dances the liven things up on that day?? Yup. The dances have such interesting names too. Names like the "Little Hazelnut" (do they mean horses or falling nuts; all that prancing could mean either) The other was even funnier - didn't know blacksmiths originated from the Institute of the Mentally Inept. The dance was called "Hammersmith" and it involved lots of clapping...and I mean really. I always thought smiths were busy people, didn't know they had time for dancing in circles. Then again, they might have been freaking out because it was the Black Death, and that's when the song "Ring around the Roses" originated from.
After all that is said and done, the stupid dances were quite fun. At the very least it was excercise...but wouldn't I give anything for badminton lessons again next week... Now, I ache in all the wrong places and my feet feel permanently twisted from all the feet crossing steps...But hey. It wa all in the name of a bit of fun.
After all that is said and done, the stupid dances were quite fun. At the very least it was excercise...but wouldn't I give anything for badminton lessons again next week... Now, I ache in all the wrong places and my feet feel permanently twisted from all the feet crossing steps...But hey. It wa all in the name of a bit of fun.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Chocolate Charlie is so Sweet.
Watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today with my sis. Was not impressed by it. Instead I was Totally Blown Away by the film!! What an excellent piece of work! Haha. I've not even gotten to why I love the movie and already I am singing its praises. Hmm. I suppose it was because the film was way better than what I expected it to be. I did think it will be good, just not that good, if u follow me. Well, happily, even my sis was impressed and that's saying something. She is a picky movie goer (how can anyone not like LOTR??). Anyway, am feeling the itch to review the movie. Beware of spoilers. (see post below for safety sake).
You look really Weird...
WARNING: Spoilers ahead!
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
reviewed by none other than ME. of course. Who else is there?
The film opens with a nice bit of music (composed by DannyElfman - don't know who he is? Well I don't either), with really nice graphics of the chocolate packaging process. Knowing Tim Burton, it is weird. The chocolate bars all have individual white mini parachutes that float down in a spiral. Really nice. The sets are lavish. I mean, it is Tim Burton after all; so you can expect things to look a little less ordinary. The story, as anyone knows, is adapted from a Roald Dahl book of the same name.
The movie follows quite truly to the book, in terms of the things said and sequence of events. What deviates from the book, however, is Willy Wonka. There is an added feature on Willy Wonka's youth. The movie also strangely shifts focus away from Charlie, the lead protagonist to Will Wonka. Now that, in itself is not a bad thing (more screen time of the world's coolest actor can't be bad). However, Charlie does play a crucial role in helping to adjust Wonka's skewed world view that parents are nasty creatures that inhibit individuality. I suspect that as the anticipated audience would largely consist of kids, it would be neccessary to restore the morals of the story. One tends to get carried away by Wonka's evil antics, especially that sinister smile on his face whenever the 4 rotten kids get their just desserts.
Some people have remarked that Johnny Depp looks really weird. I mean what's with all that white makeup? I however feel that the costume sits well the "look" of the film, especially since Wonka is such a child-like character - it would be wrong to portray him as the old eccentric complete with goatee and all. Rather, the androgynous look is a success here.
Great film overall. Go watch it. There were some misses though. But hey. Perfection is boring.
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
reviewed by none other than ME. of course. Who else is there?
The film opens with a nice bit of music (composed by DannyElfman - don't know who he is? Well I don't either), with really nice graphics of the chocolate packaging process. Knowing Tim Burton, it is weird. The chocolate bars all have individual white mini parachutes that float down in a spiral. Really nice. The sets are lavish. I mean, it is Tim Burton after all; so you can expect things to look a little less ordinary. The story, as anyone knows, is adapted from a Roald Dahl book of the same name.
The movie follows quite truly to the book, in terms of the things said and sequence of events. What deviates from the book, however, is Willy Wonka. There is an added feature on Willy Wonka's youth. The movie also strangely shifts focus away from Charlie, the lead protagonist to Will Wonka. Now that, in itself is not a bad thing (more screen time of the world's coolest actor can't be bad). However, Charlie does play a crucial role in helping to adjust Wonka's skewed world view that parents are nasty creatures that inhibit individuality. I suspect that as the anticipated audience would largely consist of kids, it would be neccessary to restore the morals of the story. One tends to get carried away by Wonka's evil antics, especially that sinister smile on his face whenever the 4 rotten kids get their just desserts.
Some people have remarked that Johnny Depp looks really weird. I mean what's with all that white makeup? I however feel that the costume sits well the "look" of the film, especially since Wonka is such a child-like character - it would be wrong to portray him as the old eccentric complete with goatee and all. Rather, the androgynous look is a success here.
Great film overall. Go watch it. There were some misses though. But hey. Perfection is boring.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Invasion!
Today began normally enough. Woke up. Ate breakfast. Read newspaper. Go to school. Got D&D ticket fixed (For some reason, I was given a torn ticket). Went home. Computer hanged. Gave up on it and decided to just help my mum prepare lunch. I was slicing prawns while she de-veined them. All pretty normal, especially the comp hanging bit. Then things got a little weirder.
I was clipping my fingernails when I thought I heard a knock on the door. Turns out I did hear a knock - when I opened the door, and out of the blue I see Jane and PY standing outside, and I was thinking...OK...umm what are they doing here?? Haha. Teach me to look at my handphone more often huh. PY was convinced that after missing 3 days of school, there was actually a lot of notes for her. Funnily enough there actually wasn't much. We discussed the mysteries of Balance of Payments (BOP). Played with my hamsters. Laughed and talked a lot. Complained about this strange theory found in our Atmosphere and Climate notes (the earth wobbles every 21000 yrs?! You've gotta be kiddin!) Then they went home and I had lunch. Lunch was yummy!
Then my sis' classmates came and played x-box. I suspect it is because one of them broke his x-box and was suffering from withdrawal symptons. Haha. Nah. So they spent the afternoon oogling at the gogglebox and talking really loudly. Went to buy dinner. For some reason, the guy at Mac's gave me one twister fries when I asked for two and two fries when I wanted only one. I kinda felt sorry for the guy and decided that the extra fries could go to my sis' classmates. Went back home. There is a lot of air pollution out there - it's the first day if the chinese 7th month. So you know what I mean...Got home. Was still eating when the two guys (my sis' classmates) decided they had enough of oogling the gogglebox and went home. Funnily enough, one of them actually said "Thank you for having us". Not the typical reaction from a gaming addict if you ask me. They usually walk away with a slightly bemused look on their faces... Shows how much you can judge from people's appearances yeah... At least this time someone was nice enough to say "Thank you". Goodness knows I've to put up with weird people every time they come here. Who eat my food and don't go home. Oh well. Nice to see that my sis has SOME polite classmates, always did have the impression that they were all ah bengs. Haha. Prejudices will get you nowhere, but I can't be too trusting too.
Hah! I am going to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Monday!! I can't help announcing to the world!!! I am so excited. Finally! A movie worth every cent I'm paying for!
I was clipping my fingernails when I thought I heard a knock on the door. Turns out I did hear a knock - when I opened the door, and out of the blue I see Jane and PY standing outside, and I was thinking...OK...umm what are they doing here?? Haha. Teach me to look at my handphone more often huh. PY was convinced that after missing 3 days of school, there was actually a lot of notes for her. Funnily enough there actually wasn't much. We discussed the mysteries of Balance of Payments (BOP). Played with my hamsters. Laughed and talked a lot. Complained about this strange theory found in our Atmosphere and Climate notes (the earth wobbles every 21000 yrs?! You've gotta be kiddin!) Then they went home and I had lunch. Lunch was yummy!
Then my sis' classmates came and played x-box. I suspect it is because one of them broke his x-box and was suffering from withdrawal symptons. Haha. Nah. So they spent the afternoon oogling at the gogglebox and talking really loudly. Went to buy dinner. For some reason, the guy at Mac's gave me one twister fries when I asked for two and two fries when I wanted only one. I kinda felt sorry for the guy and decided that the extra fries could go to my sis' classmates. Went back home. There is a lot of air pollution out there - it's the first day if the chinese 7th month. So you know what I mean...Got home. Was still eating when the two guys (my sis' classmates) decided they had enough of oogling the gogglebox and went home. Funnily enough, one of them actually said "Thank you for having us". Not the typical reaction from a gaming addict if you ask me. They usually walk away with a slightly bemused look on their faces... Shows how much you can judge from people's appearances yeah... At least this time someone was nice enough to say "Thank you". Goodness knows I've to put up with weird people every time they come here. Who eat my food and don't go home. Oh well. Nice to see that my sis has SOME polite classmates, always did have the impression that they were all ah bengs. Haha. Prejudices will get you nowhere, but I can't be too trusting too.
Hah! I am going to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Monday!! I can't help announcing to the world!!! I am so excited. Finally! A movie worth every cent I'm paying for!
Thursday, August 04, 2005
July/August
I've not been blogging for a while as you can obviously see. Anyway, I'm glad the stupid tag-board is up and running again. Was so frustrated when it decided to do strange things. Happily, it wasn't just me for once...friends had a similar problem too. When you have a temperamental computer akin to a grouchy old man, you question every weird thing it throws at you...
So. Just an update. Last WKEND was spent doing things...decided to wrap Kappa's present a day in advance. It was a blue wrapper, with darker blue teddies I found off Google Images. I was lucky that my printer was printing blue ink...I ran out of black a few months back. Just haven't bothered to replace ink. If I had black ink I would have to print them in greyscale, which doesn't sit well with the light blue paper, and of course, I've no photoshop to do things with the teddy photo. Yup. Luck or something I guess. Anyway, we had lunch at Hans. Am HAPPY that I was late for once. I've complaints that I go to pre-arranged venues too early. Hans was ok. Watermelon wasn't sweet enough if you ask me. Went shopping after that. Thanks Kappa, for humouring ol' indecisive me while I circled Borders like some insane metal institute escapee with a fetish for walking in circles.
Bought Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. People who watch the OC would know Seth mentioned it in one of the episodes. Dun know if this is true. Ask Kappa. The book is very thick. It's about WWII. Its also a book only mad people would recommend. Have found nothing entertaining from it so far. But hey. I've only read like...4 pages? Haha. Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring was great though. Finished it already. For a historical fiction, it really is quite well written. Go read it.
Went sofa cloth shopping with Aunt and Mum in Choo Chiat. For those out there who suffer from chronic "Where is this place hah?", Choo Chiat is in Geylang. But that is besides the point. The point is, I went cloth shopping with them, and we bought the cloth that I picked out. I shall take the liberty of looking smug. It's a light cream coloured cloth with silvery leaf and vine motifs on it. It LOOKS nice. Anyone who says otherwise will answer to the chopper poised in my hand. Nah. Just kidding. I don't like choppers in the first place...so violent and unwieldy.
Last of all, my pet hamster gave birth to 3 babies on the 2nd of August!! That's same as you Kappa! They look quite gross actually - all wobbly and pink and for some reason, a bit shiny too. Heehee.
Last night was bad though. Fell asleep waiting for Inuyasha to start at the unearthly hr of 11pm. I missed the damn episode and woke up just in time to catch the ending credits rolling. Luckily my sis wasn't too pissed off that I only managed to tape Shaman King for her. Sat through that with a highly dissatisfied feeling of having missed a TV show you stayed up for.
Well. here ends this post. Will blog again some time soon.
So. Just an update. Last WKEND was spent doing things...decided to wrap Kappa's present a day in advance. It was a blue wrapper, with darker blue teddies I found off Google Images. I was lucky that my printer was printing blue ink...I ran out of black a few months back. Just haven't bothered to replace ink. If I had black ink I would have to print them in greyscale, which doesn't sit well with the light blue paper, and of course, I've no photoshop to do things with the teddy photo. Yup. Luck or something I guess. Anyway, we had lunch at Hans. Am HAPPY that I was late for once. I've complaints that I go to pre-arranged venues too early. Hans was ok. Watermelon wasn't sweet enough if you ask me. Went shopping after that. Thanks Kappa, for humouring ol' indecisive me while I circled Borders like some insane metal institute escapee with a fetish for walking in circles.
Bought Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. People who watch the OC would know Seth mentioned it in one of the episodes. Dun know if this is true. Ask Kappa. The book is very thick. It's about WWII. Its also a book only mad people would recommend. Have found nothing entertaining from it so far. But hey. I've only read like...4 pages? Haha. Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring was great though. Finished it already. For a historical fiction, it really is quite well written. Go read it.
Went sofa cloth shopping with Aunt and Mum in Choo Chiat. For those out there who suffer from chronic "Where is this place hah?", Choo Chiat is in Geylang. But that is besides the point. The point is, I went cloth shopping with them, and we bought the cloth that I picked out. I shall take the liberty of looking smug. It's a light cream coloured cloth with silvery leaf and vine motifs on it. It LOOKS nice. Anyone who says otherwise will answer to the chopper poised in my hand. Nah. Just kidding. I don't like choppers in the first place...so violent and unwieldy.
Last of all, my pet hamster gave birth to 3 babies on the 2nd of August!! That's same as you Kappa! They look quite gross actually - all wobbly and pink and for some reason, a bit shiny too. Heehee.
Last night was bad though. Fell asleep waiting for Inuyasha to start at the unearthly hr of 11pm. I missed the damn episode and woke up just in time to catch the ending credits rolling. Luckily my sis wasn't too pissed off that I only managed to tape Shaman King for her. Sat through that with a highly dissatisfied feeling of having missed a TV show you stayed up for.
Well. here ends this post. Will blog again some time soon.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Baka Cat
Sometimes, animals will behave in the strangest ways. Take the following real-life encounters as proof.
I am out with my parents and sis at the Whampoa market. Don't know where that is? It is in a godforsaken part of Singapore. Before anyone points out that they live there, I will say that there is nothing wrong with living in a secluded part of Singapore; there are times when I would envy the ones who live in blissful isolation. Right, as I was saying, we were at the market for lunch. It is very strange. There are bees at the hawker centre. They buzz around the seats nonchalantly, and cluster around the beancurd desert shop. One wonders why. Apart from being a general nuisance, they are a danger to society (they would have to buzz around my rice, and no one else's).
That was the first of the animal mysteries. Next, a black cat, full grown mind you, and therefore had the mental capability of a mature, thinking animal, came and sat at the periphery of our table. It looked at us with that typically endearing big-eyed look that said, "Aww. Look at the cute kitty. Feed me please!" Being animal lovers, me and my sis began discussing (in an undertone, cos my dad doesn't like us playing with or feeding strays) whether we should feed the cat. It went something like that:
SIS: Should we feed the cat?
ME: (eagerly) OK. (pause) You do it.
SIS: You feed lah.
ME: Why me? Anyway, it might not eat chicken...
SIS: I'm not sure.
(In the meantime, Cat starts cleaning itself next to my table. After dithering about for a few minutes agonising over whether I should feed it, I decided I should.)
ME: Right. What about Dad?
SIS: I'll distract him...Dad! Look over there! [I am serious. My dad really looked 'over there']
(I quickly throw a piece of chicken to the cat)
Guess what. The stupid cat got up from cleaning itself and walked right past the piece of chicken that I had painstakingly deboned for it. Stupid stupid cat. Then, the best part comes. It stalked round our table once and settled down to stare at us eating our chicken rice - with the same appealing look it had before I tried to feed it. The piece of chicken lay folornly on the opposite side of the table, forgotten by the cat.
The third stars of absurdist animal behaviour were put on by none other than my own hamsters. Both of them were playing on the hamster wheel. Only one thing. They were both running in the opposite directions. Yup, so the total action was that there were two hamsters scrambling happily on a stationary wheel. They did this at least 3 times that night too. Ah well. The mysteries of animal behaviour...
I am out with my parents and sis at the Whampoa market. Don't know where that is? It is in a godforsaken part of Singapore. Before anyone points out that they live there, I will say that there is nothing wrong with living in a secluded part of Singapore; there are times when I would envy the ones who live in blissful isolation. Right, as I was saying, we were at the market for lunch. It is very strange. There are bees at the hawker centre. They buzz around the seats nonchalantly, and cluster around the beancurd desert shop. One wonders why. Apart from being a general nuisance, they are a danger to society (they would have to buzz around my rice, and no one else's).
That was the first of the animal mysteries. Next, a black cat, full grown mind you, and therefore had the mental capability of a mature, thinking animal, came and sat at the periphery of our table. It looked at us with that typically endearing big-eyed look that said, "Aww. Look at the cute kitty. Feed me please!" Being animal lovers, me and my sis began discussing (in an undertone, cos my dad doesn't like us playing with or feeding strays) whether we should feed the cat. It went something like that:
SIS: Should we feed the cat?
ME: (eagerly) OK. (pause) You do it.
SIS: You feed lah.
ME: Why me? Anyway, it might not eat chicken...
SIS: I'm not sure.
(In the meantime, Cat starts cleaning itself next to my table. After dithering about for a few minutes agonising over whether I should feed it, I decided I should.)
ME: Right. What about Dad?
SIS: I'll distract him...Dad! Look over there! [I am serious. My dad really looked 'over there']
(I quickly throw a piece of chicken to the cat)
Guess what. The stupid cat got up from cleaning itself and walked right past the piece of chicken that I had painstakingly deboned for it. Stupid stupid cat. Then, the best part comes. It stalked round our table once and settled down to stare at us eating our chicken rice - with the same appealing look it had before I tried to feed it. The piece of chicken lay folornly on the opposite side of the table, forgotten by the cat.
The third stars of absurdist animal behaviour were put on by none other than my own hamsters. Both of them were playing on the hamster wheel. Only one thing. They were both running in the opposite directions. Yup, so the total action was that there were two hamsters scrambling happily on a stationary wheel. They did this at least 3 times that night too. Ah well. The mysteries of animal behaviour...
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Kappa's Guide to Natural Highs (Villian Version 1.1)
I recently visited my friend's blog and saw this article entitled 'Natural Highs'. It is supposed to "lift your spirits". That, was a goody-goody version. Now, I will impart to you, the Sith's version to Natural Highs. May the force be with you.
- Sitting in your school canteen with your good friends and makingsnide remarks at everyone. ("Look at that bald donkey!" "That teacher looks like a bulldog, shouldn't he be at the pound?")
- Bullying inexperienced relief teachers. ("Where's the chalk?" "Oh, you are sitting on it, 'cher!")
- Playing the violin (especially when you aren't too good at it yet)when your mum is taking her afternoon nap.
- Playing the piano when your family is watching television.Watching "American's
- Funniest Home Videos" (Moral of the story: Laugh when tragedy befalls others)
- Watching reruns of old local series, e.g. Triple Nine. (Oh god! LiLin in high waist jeans! She looks like a poulet when she put on too-red lipstick! Oh, and that crappy hairstyle! (laughs hysterically))
- Imagine the guy or girl you have a crush on walking about naked. (It will be good if he or she had a great body, if not...erm...you will just have to imagine it.)
- Mixing your father's hair tonic into your mother's shampoo. (The result's pretty interesting!)
- Accidentally-on-purpose sending your friend spoilers for Harry Potter. (Oh, I'm sooo sorry! I sent it to you by mistake! It was meant for another person!)
- Hearing Leong read Chinese, or speak Chinese; it's hilariously funny. (Ask her to tell you the sunflower incident)
- Watching a guy's expression when you tell him his zippers are undone. (Even if they are not...undone, I mean)
- Whipping up some weird-looking food and ask your sister to try them. (younger sister or brother, preferably)
- Looking at old photographs of your form teacher (Look here! Here's when Mr X still had his hair!)
- Sticking a picture of your school rival on a dart board. (10 points if you hit the body, 20 if you hit the face and 100 if you can hit the groin!)
- Confusing your friends. (Kappa, so which one is it? You are confusing me!)
- Hearing Leong shrieking* at you, waving her fists in the air ("You villainous villain!"..."This is utter villainy!)
- Hearing or smelling somebody fart in public.
- Looking at a guy digging his ears, then smelling his earwax and then telling your friends about it. Enjoy the gross expression on their faces.
- Consoling your rival in school when she/he failed the exams.("Poor thing, never mind, you can do better next time!" Think: If there even is a next time.) Then mocking her/him behind his/her back.
- Clipping a clothes-peg onto the nose of a person sleeping.
- Drinking coffee. (My friend always gets high after drinking coffee, she would giggle and shriek, laugh and yell. That, in essence, is that she has lost control.
- Seeing your rival lost her place as queen of the high-and-mighty in school.
- Watching man-hunt on television.
- Watching Jim Carrey's "Lawyer, Lawyer".
- Last but not least, writing obscenities on somebody's cast.(One, look at the poor person hobble about on the cast, or trying to feed himself, and two, the obscenities.)
That's all folks! If you have any suggestions on this article, please feel free to flood Leong's tag board. Ciao.This Guide is in near pristine condition. I hardly made any changes. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.*I do NOT shriek.
Poll Time!
OK. There are some people who seem to think that the font size is too small and will subject them to a state of perpetual blindness. Because of this there is now POLL TIME!
Just tell me if the font size is too small...dun mail me. Use the tag-board. It is there for such things. It has however been used for other, less, amiable things like insulting my organisational skills [or the lack of it], my blog and me in general. Sigh. What are friends for? I thank all those who have made useful and or encouraging comments and as for those with less than useful things to say...well I must admit that it has been fun - all those verbal warfare and somehow me on the losing side...haha. It is a humbling experience. Don't laugh. I am being serious.
Right, before poll time, I can say that the font size is simply for asethetic purposes. If it hampers reading, I will forego art and do something to make your reading a pleasure. Thanks!
Vote:
Font size (1)
Font Size (2)
Just tell me if the font size is too small...dun mail me. Use the tag-board. It is there for such things. It has however been used for other, less, amiable things like insulting my organisational skills [or the lack of it], my blog and me in general. Sigh. What are friends for? I thank all those who have made useful and or encouraging comments and as for those with less than useful things to say...well I must admit that it has been fun - all those verbal warfare and somehow me on the losing side...haha. It is a humbling experience. Don't laugh. I am being serious.
Right, before poll time, I can say that the font size is simply for asethetic purposes. If it hampers reading, I will forego art and do something to make your reading a pleasure. Thanks!
Vote:
Font size (1)
Font Size (2)
Friday, July 22, 2005
I Like to Move it
Am feeling rather philosphical after today's lecture on Chaucer's A Knight's Tale. If u are getting a headache or are in no mood to think beyond what TV show is nice tonight. STAY AWAY. I am not liable for any mental breakdown caused in this post. If you insist on reading on, then, dear reader, beware.
There is this talk about divine intervention and the "First Moevre [Mover]", who in the beginning, set in motion a chain of spheres - the planets which causes...well...causes things to happen. The planets thing has to do with astrology. Right. Venus, Mars, Saturn all represent different aspects of Lfe - Love, War and MisFortune/Chao. The idea of Fortune is even more clearly represented in the book as Fortuna, goddess of chance and the random; "aventure", as Chaucer calls it. Anyway, Thesues, one of the lead characters and the wisest of the lot, speaks of the 1st Mover as someone that watches or observes the gods, the humans from a distant, 3rd person sort of perspective. In other words, Love, War and Fortune are all controlled by a being beyond themselves - a being behind even the divine as represented by the pagan gods. Fortune figures largely in the the Tale and many of the significant events are really just chance meetings. What I suppose Theseus is trying to say is probably this: Fortunes may rise and fall, joy follows woe and woe follows joy - neither are eternal in the lives of Men, but follow on the heels of each other. Yet, we should not grieve when things do not go our way, nor should we trap ourselves because of unlucky circumstances but look forward - because our lives are in a way predestined by the 1st Mover so long ago when he created the universe. Hence, in seemingly random events do we discern order and control - for even Fortune is governed by a higher being.
Ouch...Finally got it all out of my system. Been thinking how to phrase my thoughts in a somewhat more logical manner...Yay! I am ready for Wednesday's presentation!!
There is this talk about divine intervention and the "First Moevre [Mover]", who in the beginning, set in motion a chain of spheres - the planets which causes...well...causes things to happen. The planets thing has to do with astrology. Right. Venus, Mars, Saturn all represent different aspects of Lfe - Love, War and MisFortune/Chao. The idea of Fortune is even more clearly represented in the book as Fortuna, goddess of chance and the random; "aventure", as Chaucer calls it. Anyway, Thesues, one of the lead characters and the wisest of the lot, speaks of the 1st Mover as someone that watches or observes the gods, the humans from a distant, 3rd person sort of perspective. In other words, Love, War and Fortune are all controlled by a being beyond themselves - a being behind even the divine as represented by the pagan gods. Fortune figures largely in the the Tale and many of the significant events are really just chance meetings. What I suppose Theseus is trying to say is probably this: Fortunes may rise and fall, joy follows woe and woe follows joy - neither are eternal in the lives of Men, but follow on the heels of each other. Yet, we should not grieve when things do not go our way, nor should we trap ourselves because of unlucky circumstances but look forward - because our lives are in a way predestined by the 1st Mover so long ago when he created the universe. Hence, in seemingly random events do we discern order and control - for even Fortune is governed by a higher being.
Ouch...Finally got it all out of my system. Been thinking how to phrase my thoughts in a somewhat more logical manner...Yay! I am ready for Wednesday's presentation!!
Monday, July 18, 2005
Harry Potter & the Old Lady who Farted
It is night time at Hogwarts, and HARRY is seated in the Gryffindor common room asleep in one of the armchairs. A thick book slips from under him and falls with a loud thud, waking him up.
HARRY: What? Oh great, I've gone and fallen asleep again. Snape's going to kill me tomorrow if I don't finish his homework on time...(bends down to pick up book)
A VOICE: (cheerfully) Yup! I bet he's going to confiscate your Firebolt at the rate you are going. Isn't it your third time forgetting your textbook in his class?
HARRY: Actually it's my fourth time this week. (gestures in frustration at essay on table) I hate this. (looks around in puzzlement) Anyway who are you? Ghosts aren't allowed in the House common rooms.
A VOICE: What nonsense. I am not a ghost. I am merely a disembodied voice that you are hearing because you are only partially asleep. But that doesn't make me your conscience. Goodness knows where that's gone anyway. Whatever happened to you in the Order of the Phoenix? You sound like a whiny brat! I am certain your conscience is in the Hospital for the Fatally Ill Mental Voices for a bad bout of Guilt.
HARRY: Huh?
A VOICE: What I mean to say is that you ought to treat your conscience better after making us sit through that ridiculously lengthy 5th Book, endure the death of a main character that lasted about 2 books out of the 6 so far and read about you and your abrupt change of character. You should be more in tune with your conscience. I do hope your conscience is doing ok.
HARRY: You can't blame me for the way things turned out. Besides I didn't commission the Order of the Phoenix...Fawkes did. He was extremely pleased that he got featured in the title and got his portrait splashed on the book cover. He's rather pleased with the 'Adult version'...says it makes him look imposing and grand.
A VOICE: I see. Still I hope the Half-blood Prince will be good. It's recieved generally good reviews and the title is promising. I was thinking about it today when I got into the lift at my block. An old lady and two maids got in as well. When the lift door closed, the old lady farted really loudly. Ugh. It probably smells worse than anything Neville can come up with in Potions class.
HARRY: Don't be mean.
A VOICE: To whom? Neville or the old lady?
HARRY: (severely) BOTH.
End
There are times when I wish my sanity would come ack to me. It is a love-hate affair here. Anyway, I really really want the 6th book! Unfortunately it is beyond my means to buy it. $40.60!!! Actually considering that it is rather fat a book and hard cover too...it is a reasonable price. That doesn't mean that I can afford it though. Will wait for it to be cheaper first. I sound like a cheapskate. Which I am anyway. Hahaha. Cya for know.
HARRY: What? Oh great, I've gone and fallen asleep again. Snape's going to kill me tomorrow if I don't finish his homework on time...(bends down to pick up book)
A VOICE: (cheerfully) Yup! I bet he's going to confiscate your Firebolt at the rate you are going. Isn't it your third time forgetting your textbook in his class?
HARRY: Actually it's my fourth time this week. (gestures in frustration at essay on table) I hate this. (looks around in puzzlement) Anyway who are you? Ghosts aren't allowed in the House common rooms.
A VOICE: What nonsense. I am not a ghost. I am merely a disembodied voice that you are hearing because you are only partially asleep. But that doesn't make me your conscience. Goodness knows where that's gone anyway. Whatever happened to you in the Order of the Phoenix? You sound like a whiny brat! I am certain your conscience is in the Hospital for the Fatally Ill Mental Voices for a bad bout of Guilt.
HARRY: Huh?
A VOICE: What I mean to say is that you ought to treat your conscience better after making us sit through that ridiculously lengthy 5th Book, endure the death of a main character that lasted about 2 books out of the 6 so far and read about you and your abrupt change of character. You should be more in tune with your conscience. I do hope your conscience is doing ok.
HARRY: You can't blame me for the way things turned out. Besides I didn't commission the Order of the Phoenix...Fawkes did. He was extremely pleased that he got featured in the title and got his portrait splashed on the book cover. He's rather pleased with the 'Adult version'...says it makes him look imposing and grand.
A VOICE: I see. Still I hope the Half-blood Prince will be good. It's recieved generally good reviews and the title is promising. I was thinking about it today when I got into the lift at my block. An old lady and two maids got in as well. When the lift door closed, the old lady farted really loudly. Ugh. It probably smells worse than anything Neville can come up with in Potions class.
HARRY: Don't be mean.
A VOICE: To whom? Neville or the old lady?
HARRY: (severely) BOTH.
End
There are times when I wish my sanity would come ack to me. It is a love-hate affair here. Anyway, I really really want the 6th book! Unfortunately it is beyond my means to buy it. $40.60!!! Actually considering that it is rather fat a book and hard cover too...it is a reasonable price. That doesn't mean that I can afford it though. Will wait for it to be cheaper first. I sound like a cheapskate. Which I am anyway. Hahaha. Cya for know.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Today, Tomorrow and Everyday
It is really quite sad. My days are filled with monotony. Everyday, I find myself doing the same things over and over again. This is translated into slang as "I have no life". I wake up, eat breakfast, read the paper and then slack around. No matter how I try, I just can't seem to get myself into a more productive mode. I should be freaking out. My Prelims are (to quote the TVs in sch) 57 days away. The As are only a 100 days or so away. I've never felt so daunted in my life before. I want to start revising, but my brain just refuses to cooperate. Well, not just my brain, but physically too...I MUST break out of monotony...and strive to well...submerge myself into more drudgery. What irony.
Study study study. Hate it.
Anyway, I've just finished reading Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale". One reading is clearly not enough. I am getting my facts mixed up already. At least...only those in the beginning, though I wouldn't trust my own opinion on that. This is terrible. What is wrong with me?? It means that I need to read them again. Can't imagine doing that for Persuasion. Haha. Actually I can. It would be fun.
Great, as I am typing this, my mum and sis are arguing. It is too bad. I feel whatever miserable little good vibes I had today flying out of the window.
I'll go now. Good night.
Study study study. Hate it.
Anyway, I've just finished reading Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale". One reading is clearly not enough. I am getting my facts mixed up already. At least...only those in the beginning, though I wouldn't trust my own opinion on that. This is terrible. What is wrong with me?? It means that I need to read them again. Can't imagine doing that for Persuasion. Haha. Actually I can. It would be fun.
Great, as I am typing this, my mum and sis are arguing. It is too bad. I feel whatever miserable little good vibes I had today flying out of the window.
I'll go now. Good night.
Friday, July 15, 2005
NKFoe/riend?
Thought I'll just jump onto the NKF bandwagon as well. Poor T.T. Durai. I am like anyone else, shocked that he commands a $25000 monthly salary. I've donated to NKF before, and frankly, I wonder if my money does end up in someone's pocket. I recall the time I went to the NKF HQ in Balestier. My first thought was "Great! Air-con at last!" Next was a sort of awe at the imposing glass façade and grand, airy concierge.
Wow.
For a charity organization, they've really made it big. It took a while, but when I reflected on the grandeur of the building, nestled within an industrial estate with really ancient looking factories, I wonder - what a sore sight. For a charitable organization that depended solely on the public's well meant donations, it looked really nice. One starts to compare it with other charities in Singapore. The SPCA has a dilapidated HQ. The Cancer Society doesn't have a 12 storey HQ. So...why? If you are a highly successful charity organization, who some say have reserves to last for the next 30yrs, what would you do? Continue to solicit money from the public, or just retire? Others say that 30yrs is a mere estimation; that it was blown up by the media. OK...even if it wasn't, does that mean that we should stop donating to the NKF? If so, I then pity the kidney patients who benefit from the organization's help. After all, the number of kidney patients grow every year, and if donations stop, what will happen to them?
I understand that it is ridiculous that a charity should have CEOs, fancy glass offices and Mercedes cars with attached chauffeurs. But does that mean that every charity should keep to a tatty, poverty-induced image? If so, I wonder who would actually volunteer to lead a life of poverty, even if the spiritual or moralistic gain is great? Surely a do-good organization should deserve better working onditions? Moreover, the NKF is not some start-up NGO that would for finances sake rent some 1-room HDB flat as its HQ... The NKF is an established government backed organization. What is so wrong with keeping with the times? The answer is obvious. Ostentatious gold taps (what a terrible fashion faux pas), the CEO is paid a monthly salary that would be beyond most Singaporeans and a disturbingly glossy office. But that by itself does not irk anyone - it is the fact that the public was kept in the dark about it. The issue among Singaporeans is obvious - where is my money going? The NKF has done a great job in taking care of the kidney patients here, pity this blow-up has resulted in a loss of faith for it.
Wow.
For a charity organization, they've really made it big. It took a while, but when I reflected on the grandeur of the building, nestled within an industrial estate with really ancient looking factories, I wonder - what a sore sight. For a charitable organization that depended solely on the public's well meant donations, it looked really nice. One starts to compare it with other charities in Singapore. The SPCA has a dilapidated HQ. The Cancer Society doesn't have a 12 storey HQ. So...why? If you are a highly successful charity organization, who some say have reserves to last for the next 30yrs, what would you do? Continue to solicit money from the public, or just retire? Others say that 30yrs is a mere estimation; that it was blown up by the media. OK...even if it wasn't, does that mean that we should stop donating to the NKF? If so, I then pity the kidney patients who benefit from the organization's help. After all, the number of kidney patients grow every year, and if donations stop, what will happen to them?
I understand that it is ridiculous that a charity should have CEOs, fancy glass offices and Mercedes cars with attached chauffeurs. But does that mean that every charity should keep to a tatty, poverty-induced image? If so, I wonder who would actually volunteer to lead a life of poverty, even if the spiritual or moralistic gain is great? Surely a do-good organization should deserve better working onditions? Moreover, the NKF is not some start-up NGO that would for finances sake rent some 1-room HDB flat as its HQ... The NKF is an established government backed organization. What is so wrong with keeping with the times? The answer is obvious. Ostentatious gold taps (what a terrible fashion faux pas), the CEO is paid a monthly salary that would be beyond most Singaporeans and a disturbingly glossy office. But that by itself does not irk anyone - it is the fact that the public was kept in the dark about it. The issue among Singaporeans is obvious - where is my money going? The NKF has done a great job in taking care of the kidney patients here, pity this blow-up has resulted in a loss of faith for it.
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